Caribbean female patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus have lower serum levels of adiponectin than nondiabetic subjects.

BACKGROUND Previous studies in other populations suggest that low levels of serum adiponectin may be a cardiovascular risk factor. We aimed to determine the baseline concentration of serum adiponectin and its relationship with selected biochemical risk factors for coronary artery disease (CAD) in a cross-section of Caribbean patients with type 2 diabetes. METHODS Anthropometric indices and fasting plasma concentrations of glucose, insulin, adiponectin, triglyceride, and total and HDL cholesterol were measured in 56 type 2 diabetic patients and 33 nondiabetic subjects. Insulin resistance (IR) was determined using the homeostatic model assessment (HOMA) method. RESULTS Consistent with previous reports, Caribbean type 2 diabetic patients had significantly lower fasting serum adiponectin levels and higher mean levels of glucose, triglyceride and IR than the nondiabetic subjects (all, p < 0.01). The nondiabetic female subjects had significantly higher serum adiponectin levels than did the female diabetics or nondiabetic males (p < 0.01). Serum adiponectin level was negatively correlated with triglyceride or LDL cholesterol and positively related with HDL cholesterol among nondiabetic subjects, and the latter relationship persisted after adjusting for the effects of age, sex and BMI (r = 0.70, p < 0.01). CONCLUSION Similar to reports from other populations, Caribbean patients with type 2 diabetes, particularly the females, have lower levels of serum adiponectin than their nondiabetic counterparts and this is an additional CVD risk factor for the patients.