Adiponectin levels do not predict clinical onset of type 1 diabetes in antibody-positive relatives.
OBJECTIVE
Insulin resistance has been proposed as a risk factor for type 1 diabetes. We investigated whether adiponectin, an insulin sensitiser, can serve as an additional predictive marker for type 1 diabetes in first-degree relatives of known patients.


METHODS
Adiponectin was followed in 211 persistently islet antibody-positive (Ab+) first-degree relatives of type 1 diabetic patients and in 211 age- and sex-matched persistently antibody-negative relatives, and correlated with antibody status, random proinsulin:C-peptide ratio and HLA-DQ genotype. During follow-up, 37 Ab+ relatives developed type 1 diabetes.


RESULTS
In the group of 422 relatives, baseline adiponectin correlated inversely with age and BMI and was lower in male than in female participants, especially after 15 years of age (p < 0.001). There was no correlation with antibody status or later development of diabetes. In 24 Ab+ relatives sampled fasted, adiponectin levels correlated significantly with homeostasis model assessment of insulin sensitivity (p = 0.006). In Ab+ relatives (n = 211), adiponectin levels could not predict type 1 diabetes nor complement risk assessment based on islet antibodies, HLA-DQ genotype and pancreatic hormones in Cox regression analysis.


CONCLUSIONS
Adiponectin levels do not contribute to the prediction of type 1 diabetes in Ab+ relatives.
Diabetes Research Center, Brussels Free University-VUB, Laarbeeklaan 103, 1090, Brussels, Belgium.
I
I
Truyen
J
J
De Grijse
C
C
Van Schravendijk
D
D
De Smet
K
K
Decochez
E
E
Vandemeulebroucke
M
M
Giri
B
B
Keymeulen
C
C
Mathieu
L
L
Van Gaal
P
P
De Pauw
I
I
Weets
D G
DG
Pipeleers
F K
FK
Gorus
D052242:Adiponectin / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006683:HLA-DQ Antigens / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D008297:Male; D009679:Nuclear Family; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests
D052242:Adiponectin; D001323:Autoantibodies; D015415:Biomarkers; D006683:HLA-DQ Antigens