Abstract

BACKGROUND
Accumulation of fat, especially in the visceral space, has been claimed to have a causative role in the development of macroangiopathies, because of the secretion of adipokine from the fat tissue. Indeed, the adipocyte secretes chemical messengers (e.g., adipokines) that include leptin, TNF-alpha , IL-6, adiponectin, and resistin. Since adipokines have biologic activities within the vascular system, they might be involved in the development of diabetic angiopathies. The aim of this study is to investigate the relation of adipokine with adiposity, metabolic risk factors, diabetic micro-, and macroangiopathies in type 2 diabetic patients. METHODS: The subjects of this study were 57 type 2 diabetic patients. Anthropometric parameters (height, body weight, waist circumference and body fat composition), cardiovascular risk factors (BP, Lp (a), lipid profile, hs-CRP, fibrinogen), status of glucose metabolism (HbA1c, fasting glucose), diabetic microvascular complication, intima-media thickness (IMT) at both common carotid artery and adipokine (leptin, adiponectin, resistin) were measured. RESULTS: The correlation between the serum adipokine level and duration of diabetes was statistically significant (P <0.01). The leptin was correlated with body mass index (r=0.446, P <0.01), waist circumference (r=0.553, P <0.01) and body fat content (r=0.573, P <0.01). The adiponectin was negatively correlated with plasmatotal cholesterol (r=-0.366, P <0.01) and triglyceride (r=-0.276, P <0.05). The resistin was correlated with Lp (a) (r=0.386, P <0.01), hs-CRP (r=0.413, P <0.01), fibrinogen (r=0.562, P <0.01) and 24hr microalbuminuria (r=0.353, P <0.05). The adiponectin was increased in patients with microalbuminuria than with normo- and macroalbuminuria (P <0.05). The resistin was increased in patients with micro- or macroalbuminuria than normoalbuminuria (P <0.05). The adiponectin was increased in patients with retinopathy (P <0.05). The serum adipokine level was not correlated with IMT of common carotid artery. CONCLUSION: This study reveals that serum adipokine was related with metabolic risk factor in type 2 diabetic patients. Among adipokines, adiponectin and resistin might be involved in diabetic angiopathy. The underlying mechanisms remained to be elucidated in the role of adipokine to the development of diabetic angiopathy.

• Keywords: Adipokine;Angiopathy;Intima-Media Thickness;Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus