Association between hypoadiponectinemia and cardiovascular risk factors in nonobese healthy adults

Abstract

Adiponectin levels are significantly lower in obeseadultpatients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, essential hypertension, dyslipidemia, andcardiovasculardisease. However, the role ofhypoadiponectinemiainnonobesehealthyadultshas not been fully elucidated. In this study, we examined theassociationbetweenhypoadiponectinemiaandcardiovascularrisk factorsand estimated plasma adiponectin values innonobese, apparentlyhealthyadults. A total of 204 male and 214 femalehealthyindividuals aged 20 to 80 years, with a body mass index (BMI) of less than 25 kg/m2, were included in this study. We measured patients' plasma adiponectin levels, serum lipid profiles, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels, fasting glucose levels, and fasting insulin levels. Mean values of plasma adiponectin were 5.45 +/- 3.3 microg/mL in male and 8.16 +/- 4.6 microg/mL in female subjects. Thehypoadiponectinemiagroup (< 4.0 microg/mL) had significantly higher levels (P < .01) of BMI, fasting glucose, fasting insulin, homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), and triglycerides, but lower levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C). In males, plasma adiponectin levels were inversely correlated with BMI (r = -0.32, P < .01), HOMA-IR (r = -0.14, P < .05), triglyceride levels (r = -0.17, P < .05), and hs-CRP levels (r = -0.15, P < .05), and positively correlated with HDL-C (r = 0.24, P < .01). In females, plasma adiponectin levels were negatively correlated with BMI (r = -0.31, P < .01), fasting glucose (r = -0.18, P < .01), fasting insulin (r = -0.23, P < .01), HOMA-IR (r = -0.24, P < .01), and triglyceride (r = -0.18, P < .01) levels, and positively correlated with HDL-C (r = 0.37, P < .01). Sex, age, BMI, and HDL-C (P < .01 for each) were found to be independentfactorsassociated with plasma adiponectin levels in multivariate analysis.Hypoadiponectinemiais significantly associated withcardiovascularrisk factorssuch as insulin resistance and atherogenic lipid profiles innonobese, apparentlyhealthysubjects.