Relationship between plasma adiponectin levels and metabolic risk profiles in Taiwanese children.
OBJECTIVE
Adiponectin, a novel adipokine with antiinflammatory and insulin-sensitizing properties, has an important role in glucose metabolism and is negatively correlated with body fat amount in adults. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association of plasma adiponectin level with metabolic risk profiles and insulin resistance status among Taiwanese children.


METHODS
We enrolled 1,248 children (608 boys and 640 girls) to ascertain their demographic, anthropometric, and cardiovascular risk factors distribution in Taipei. We measured plasma insulin, adiponectin, and leptin levels by radioimmunoassay (Linco Research Inc, St. Charles, MO). We calculated an insulin resistance index (IRI) using the Homeostasis Model Assessment model and also calculated an insulin resistance syndrome (IRS) summary score for each individual by adding the quartile ranks from the distribution of systolic blood pressure, serum triglyceride, high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) (inverse), and insulin levels.


RESULTS
In general, the boys had larger BMI, higher systolic blood pressure, serum total cholesterol, and triglyceride, and lower plasma leptin and adiponectin levels than girls. Plasma adiponectin levels were correlated negatively with BMI, leptin, insulin, IRI, and IRS summary score but positively correlated with HDL-C in both boys and girls. In multivariate regression analyses, adiponectin was negatively associated with insulin (girls only), IRI (girls only), and IRS score, and positively associated with HDL-C in both genders even after adjusting for age, BMI, plasma leptin level, and other potential confounders.


CONCLUSIONS
These data suggest that plasma adiponectin levels were negatively associated with metabolic risk profiles that may have played a protective role in the development of insulin resistance among Taiwanese school children.
Chu
Nain-Feng
NF
Department of Community Medicine, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Number 325, Section 2, Cheng-Gong Road, Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C. chuepi@ndmctsgh.edu.tw
Shen
Muh-Han
MH
Wu
Der-Min
DM
Lai
Chen-Ju
CJ
D052242:Adiponectin / Q000097:blood*; D000293:Adolescent; D001794:Blood Pressure; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood*; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D020738:Leptin / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D050177:Overweight; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D013624:Taiwan; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
D052242:Adiponectin; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D007328:Insulin; D020738:Leptin; D014280:Triglycerides; D002784:Cholesterol