Combined Impact of Adiponectin and Retinol‐binding Protein 4 on Metabolic Syndrome in Elderly People: The Korean Longitudinal Study on Health and Aging

Abstract

The prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MS) increases with progressing and is potentially associated with changes in adipose‐derived cytokines, including adiponectin and retinol‐binding protein 4 (RBP4). We aimed to determine the prevalence of MS, and the relationships between these factors and MS in elderly people. A population‐based cohort study, the Korean Longitudinal Study on Health and Aging (KLoSHA), was performed on subjects aged ≥65 years by random stratified sampling in 2005–2006 (439 men and 561 women). Anthropometrics, biochemical factors including adiponectin and RBP4 levels, body composition, and abdominal fat by computed tomography (CT) were measured. The prevalence of MS was 61.0% in women and 39.9% in men. After adjustment for age, gender, smoking, alcohol, and exercise status and muscle mass, participants with the lowest quartile of adiponectin had a higher risk for having MS than those with the highest quartile (odds ratio (OR) = 4.12, P < 0.01). Similarly, subjects with the highest quartile of RBP4 showed an increased risk for having MS (OR = 1.73, P < 0.01). When both the lowest adiponectin and the highest RBP4 quartiles were combined, the OR increased to 6.22 compared with the opposite quartiles (i.e., highest adiponectin and lowest RBP4 concentrations). Furthermore, circulating levels of adiponectin and RBP4 were significantly correlated with visceral fat and insulin resistance index. In this study, the increased prevalence of MS in elderly but relatively lean population was associated with low adiponectin and high RBP4 levels. The combination of these factors might predict older subjects at high risk for having MS.

RBP4: a controversial adipokine

“…It was also considered a promising adipokine in humans possibly linking adiposity, insulin resistance, T2D, and certain components of the metabolic syndrome (32,33,35,47,48,(51)(52)(53)(54). However, in several clinical studies, associations and/or causality of observed RBP4 expression changes with these states could not be shown (9-11, 35, 71, 72, 93).…”

“…Circulating RBP4 levels also correlate with other components of the metabolic syndrome (32,(51)(52)(53)(54). It is suggested that RBP4 is a predictor of atherosclerosis and its clinical manifestations -cardiovascular diseases.…”

Modulation of adiponectin as a potential therapeutic strategy

“…We previously demonstrated that increased prevalence of metabolic syndrome has been associated with low adiponectin levels even in relatively lean populations [34].…”

Subclinical atherosclerosis in a community-based elderly cohort: The Korean Longitudinal Study on Health and Aging

“…The total population of Seongnam was 977,166 in 2004 and the proportion of people aged 65 years or older was 6.2% [10]. One thousand subjects who were free from chest pain were selected using age-and sex-stratified random sampling from a roster of people aged 65 years or older in 2006.…”

“…One thousand subjects who were free from chest pain were selected using age-and sex-stratified random sampling from a roster of people aged 65 years or older in 2006. Detailed information about recruitment was previously described [10]. In all, 439 men and 561 women were enrolled in the baseline cohort of KLoSHA.…”