Association of Low Serum Adiponectin Levels with Aortic Arterial Stiffness in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes.

Adiponectin, an anti-inflammatory and anti-atherogenic protein, affects glucose metabolism. High serum adiponectin levels are associated with decreased diabetes mellitus (DM) risks. Aortic arterial stiffness (AS) is associated with cardiovascular disease and mortality in type 2 DM patients. We assessed the association between adiponectin levels and aortic AS in type 2 DM patients. We measured serum adiponectin levels in 140 volunteers with type 2 DM and assigned patients with carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV) >10 m/s to the aortic AS group ( = 54, 38.6%). These patients had higher systolic ( = 0.001) and diastolic ( = 0.010) blood pressures; body fat masses ( = 0.041); serum triglyceride ( = 0.026), phosphorus ( = 0.037), and insulin ( = 0.040) levels; and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance values ( = 0.029) and lower estimated glomerular filtration rates ( = 0.009) and serum adiponectin levels ( = 0.001) than controls. Multivariable logistic regression analysis adjusted for confounders showed serum adiponectin levels (OR 0.922; 95% CI, 0.876-0.970; = 0.002) as an independent predictor of aortic AS. Multivariable forward stepwise linear regression analyses showed that serum adiponectin levels (β = -0.283, adjusted R change: 0.054, < 0.001) were negatively associated with cfPWV. Thus, serum adiponectin level is an independent predictor of aortic AS in type 2 DM patients.