ABSTRACT
Adiponectin is secreted from adipose tissue. This hormone has a fundamental role in pathogenesis of insulin resistance, and has anti-inflammatory and anti-atherogenic effects. The objectives of this study were to compare serum adiponectin level between type 1 diabetics and healthy people and to assess its related factors, and also to determine the relationship between adiponectin and metabolic state. This was a case control study involving 60 diabetics [25 good and 35 poor metabolic controlled] and 28 healthy persons [younger than 18 years old]. The data about demographic [age and sex], clinical and paraclinical characteristics [body mass index [BMI], duration of disease, puberty state, and glycosylated hemoglobin [HbA1c] and adiponectin level in serum] were collected. Determinants of adiponectin were assessed using univariate and multiple linear regression analyses. Mean [ +/- SD] serum adiponectin level in healthy persons, good-controlled and poor-controlled type 1 diabetes mellitus patients were 9.16 [ +/- 4.2] microg/cc, 10.89 [ +/- 4.48[microg/cc, and 15.92 [ +/- 8.26]microg/cc, respectively. Post hoc analysis revealed that differences of adiponectin between poor- and good-controlled type 1 diabetes mellitus patients [P=0.01] and between healthy persons and poor controlled type 1 diabetes mellitus [P<0.0001] were statistically significant. Adiponectin level was associated with puberty state and BMI in healthy persons. It was associated with puberty state and HbA1c in type 1 diabetic persons. Serum level of adiponectin was higher in type 1 diabetics than in healthy persons and it can be used as a good marker for metabolic control state among diabetics