Association of serum adiponectin levels with artherosclerosis and the metabolic syndrome in obese children.

Background: The atherosclerotic process starts at an early age and is linked to obesity. However, the exact pathophysiological mechanism is poorly understood. Objective: To investigate the relationship between serum adiponectin and metabolic syndrome and early arteriosclerosis. Subjects: 176 obese and 88 normal children. Methods: Ultrasound measurement was performed to investigate IMT, FMD, carotid artery compliance (CAC). Adiponectin was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results: Adiponectin levels correlated negatively with obese markers, blood pressure, fasting insulin, high sensitive CRP, HOMA-IR and IMT; marginally positively associated with CAC and HDL-c. The risk of metabolic syndrome increased 3.43 times when adiponectin levels were less than 7060ng/ml. Heavy obesity, hypertension, low HDL-c, fasting hyperinsulin, High LDL-c and metabolic syndrome percentage were different in three groups according to the cut-off value of adiponectin. Conclusions: Low adiponectin levels are associated with a high incidence of metabolic syndrome.