Differential association of adiponectin with cardiovascular risk markers in men and women? The KORA survey 2000

Abstract

Background: In men, high adiponectin concentrations were related to a lower risk of myocardial infarction, whereas no association with cardiovascular events was found in women. Objective: To investigate sex differences in the associations of adiponectin with cardiovascular risk factors. Design: Cross-sectional population-based KORA Survey 2000 in Southern Germany using the same study methods for cardiovascular risk factors as the former WHO MONICA project. Participants: A total of 697 men and 657 women, aged 55-74 years. Glucose tolerance status was assessed by oral glucose tolerance tests. Results: Adiponectin (geometric mean, interquartile range; mg/ml) levels were significantly higher in women (11.1; 8.5-14.9) than in men (7.1; 5.2-9.6) (Po0.05). In univariate analyses, HDL-cholesterol and age were significantly positively correlated with adiponectin in both sexes. Negative correlations were observed with BMI, waist circumference, fasting and postchallenge glucose, insulin, HOMA-IR, HbA1c, triglycerides, uric acid and CRP (Po0.01). In sex-specific multivariate regression, age and HDL-cholesterol were independently positively, and fasting insulin and 2-h glucose were negatively related to adiponectin in both sexes. Uric acid was significantly inversely related to adiponectin in women only (sex interaction: P ¼ 0.02). Exploratory sex-specific factor analysis of adiponectin and the core components of the metabolic syndrome yielded four similar factors. Adiponectin loaded negatively on the 'lipids' factor in both sexes. Conclusion: The associations of adiponectin with cardiovascular risk factors showed a similar pattern in both sexes, except for uric acid. This small sex difference may not explain previous conflicting results on the association of adiponectin with cardiovascular events in men and women.

Gender differences in serum high-molecular-weight adiponectin levels in metabolic syndrome

“…Previous studies (21,22,23,24) have convincingly shown that males have significantly lower levels of adiponectin than females. Data are scant as to whether this gender dimorphism results in any consequences in cardiometabolic conditions in females vs males.…”

“…The Dutch Hoorn Study demonstrated that the relationship between high total adiponectin level and lower risk of impaired glucose metabolism and type 2 diabetes was stronger among women than men in a group of 50-to 70-year-old subjects (11). However, no gender difference was revealed in the association of total adiponectin with cardiovascular risk factors in German subjects aged 55-74 years (KORA survey 2000) (24). Thus, data on gender-specific associations between adiponectin (especially HMW adiponectin) levels and cardiometabolic risk factors are rather limited so far.…”

APOA5 variants and metabolic syndrome in Caucasians

“…Total cholesterol was measured by enzymatic methods (cholesterol oxidase-p-aminophenazone; Roche Diagnostics), HDL cholesterol was measured after precipitation with phosphotungstic acid/Mg 21 (Roche Diagnostics), and LDL cholesterol was measured after precipitation with dextran sulfate (Quantolip LDL; Immuno AG). Details on further laboratory measurements of the KORA S4 study are described elsewhere (30).…”

Vasoregulatory peptides pro-endothelin-1 and pro-adrenomedullin are associated with metabolic syndrome in the population-based KORA F4 study

“…Fasting insulin was determined by ELISA (Invitrogen). The IR score (HOMA-IR) was calculated (fasting plasma glucose (mmol/l)!fasting serum insulin (mU/l)/22.5) (19).…”