Plasma adiponectin levels are related to obesity, inflammation, blood lipids and insulin in type 2 diabetic and non-diabetic Trinidadians

Abstract Aims To determine the relationship between plasma adiponectin levels and obesity, inflammation, blood lipids and insulin resistance in type 2 diabetics (T2DM) and non-diabetics in a patient population in Trinidad. Methods A cohort study of a total of 126 type 2 diabetic (42 males and 84 females) and 140 (43 males and 97 females) non-diabetic public clinic attendees were assessed between December 2008 and July 2009. Along with clinical history and anthropometry, adiponectin, TNF-α, IL-6, CRP, lipid profile, glucose, and insulin were measured in fasting blood samples and insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) was calculated. Results Diabetics had higher ( p < 0.05) glucose, insulin, HOMA-IR, triglycerides (TG), VLDL and systolic blood pressure than non-diabetics, but lower ( p < 0.05) HDL and adiponectin levels. Adiponectin levels were lower ( p < 0.05) in obese than in non-obese individuals regardless of diabetic status. There were significant gender differences in HDL, LDL and TG. Among non-obese persons, adiponectin correlated negatively with triglycerides ( r = −0.280; adiponectin), IL-6 ( r = −0.216; p < 0.005), HOMA-IR ( r = −0.373; p = 000) and positively correlated with HDL ( r = 0.355; p = 0.000). Diabetic status ( p = 0.025), TNF-α ( p = 0.048) and BMI ( p = 0.027) were identified as useful predictors of adiponectin by multiple linear regression methods. In addition binary logistic regression analysis found glucose ( p = 0.001) and adiponectin ( p = 0.047) to be useful indicators of type 2 diabetes. Conclusions Adiponectin decreases with increasing adiposity and insulin resistance. Adiponectin and TNF-α appear to be related to differences in the insulin mediated glucose turnover.