Increased arterial stiffness in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes: no association between arterial stiffness and serum levels of adiponectin.
OBJECTIVE
Type 1 diabetes is associated with an increased risk of atherosclerosis. Adiponectin serum levels correlate inversely with cardiovascular disease in adults. The aim of this study was to examine associations between arterial stiffness indices and serum adiponectin concentrations in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes and to study the impact of metabolic control.


METHODS
We evaluated arterial stiffness, distensibility, and compliance in 93 children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes and correlated the data with clinical parameters and HbA1c levels. The control group comprised 85 matched healthy children. Serum levels of adiponectin in children with diabetes were measured by enzyme-linked immunoassay and correlated with arterial stiffness indices.


RESULTS
Arterial stiffness was significantly increased in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes (aged 13.0 +/- 3.8 yr) compared with matched healthy children (p = 0.03). Arterial stiffness was elevated in males with type 1 diabetes compared with females (p = 0.023). Arterial distensibility was significantly lower in children with diabetes compared with healthy controls (p = 0.025). Arterial stiffness, distensibility, and compliance did not correlate with diabetes duration, level of HbA1c, or serum cholesterol. Adiponectin concentrations in children and adolescents with diabetes were significantly elevated compared with normal values based on gender, age, and body mass index. We found no significant associations between arterial stiffness indices and adiponectin levels in children with type 1 diabetes.


CONCLUSIONS
Children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes had increased arterial stiffness and reduced arterial distensibility and arterial compliance. However, no associations between arterial functional alterations and adiponectin concentrations were seen.
Galler
Angela
A
University Hospital for Children and Adolescents, University Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany. angela.galler@charite.de
Heitmann
Amadea
A
Siekmeyer
Werner
W
Gelbrich
Götz
G
Kapellen
Thomas
T
Kratzsch
Jürgen
J
Kiess
Wieland
W
D052242:Adiponectin / Q000097:blood* / Q000502:physiology; D000293:Adolescent; D001158:Arteries / Q000473:pathology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology*; D003925:Diabetic Angiopathies / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012737:Sex Factors
D052242:Adiponectin; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin; C517652:hemoglobin A1c protein, human