Early atherosclerosis in obese juveniles is associated with low serum levels of adiponectin.
BACKGROUND
There is growing evidence that adiponectin, the most abundant adipocytokine of adipose tissue cells, plays a crucial role in advanced atherosclerosis.


OBJECTIVE
The objective of the study was to evaluate the role of adiponectin in early atherosclerosis.


METHODS
One hundred forty obese juveniles (mean age, 13.5 +/- 4.4 yr) and 100 age-matched, healthy, normal-weight controls from the STYrian Juvenile Obesity Study were investigated. We measured adipocytokines, inflammatory biomarkers, parameters of insulin resistance, and lipid subfractions. Intima-media thickness (IMT) of common carotid arteries was determined by ultrasonography. Furthermore, lipometric measurements were performed in obese juveniles to determine the topographic distribution of sc adipose tissue (SAT).


RESULTS
Compared with controls, the group of obese juveniles exhibited a significantly increased IMT (P < 0.001) and elevated high-sensitive C-reactive protein (P < 0.001), indicating early stages of atherosclerosis. Serum levels of adiponectin were highly significantly negatively correlated with carotid IMT, even after controlling for common cardiovascular risk factors (P < 0.001; r = -0.34). Furthermore, adiponectin was positively correlated with high-density lipoprotein-free cholesterol and serum apolipoprotein-A1 and negatively with triglycerides, insulin resistance, uric acid, and serum transaminases. By a multiple regression analysis, adiponectin was shown to be the strongest predictive variable for carotid IMT. Finally, adiponectin was found positively correlated with SAT thickness of the rear and inner thigh in boys and negatively with the SAT thickness of the neck in girls.


CONCLUSIONS
In summary, our study describes an influence of SAT topography on adiponectin serum levels and provides first evidence that incipient atherosclerosis is associated with low serum levels of this adipocytokine.
Pilz
Stefan
S
Clinical Institute of Medical and Chemical Laboratory Diagnosis, Medical University of Graz, A-8036 Graz, Austria.
Horejsi
Renate
R
Möller
Reinhard
R
Almer
Gunter
G
Scharnagl
Hubert
H
Stojakovic
Tatjana
T
Dimitrova
Roumiana
R
Weihrauch
Gisela
G
Borkenstein
Martin
M
Maerz
Winfried
W
Schauenstein
Konrad
K
Mangge
Harald
H
D052242:Adiponectin; D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000378:metabolism; D000293:Adolescent; D017668:Age of Onset; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000097:blood*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood*; D011379:Prognosis
D052242:Adiponectin; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D008055:Lipids