Association of subcutaneous and visceral fat mass with serum concentrations of adipokines in subjects with type 2 diabetes mellitus

Abstract

The goal of the study was to examine the association of subcutaneous and visceral fat mass with serum concentrations of adipokines in 130 subjects with type 2 diabetes mellitus. The levels of serum high sensitivity C-reactive protein (HS-CRP), adiponectin, high-molecular-weight (HMW) adiponectin, interleukin-18, and retinol-binding protein 4 were measured. Percentage body fat was determined by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry, and subcutaneous and visceral fat areas were measured by abdominal CT. HS-CRP had signifcant positive correlations with percentage body fat and subcutaneous fat area, and a particularly signifcant positive correlation with visceral fat area. Serum adiponectin had a negative correlation with the subcutaneous and visceral fat areas, with the strongest correlation with the visceral fat area. Similar results were obtained for HMW adiponectin. Serum adiponectin had a negative correlation with visceral fat area in subjects with a visceral fat area 100 cm 2, but not in those with a visceral fat area ≥ 100 cm 2. In contrast, serum HS-CRP showed a positive correlation with visceral fat area in subjects with visceral fat area ≥ 100 cm 2, but not in those with a visceral fat area < 100 cm 2. These fndings indicate that an increased visceral fat area is associated with infammatory changes, and that infammatory reactions may alter the functional properties of visceral fat in type 2 diabetes mellitus. © The Japan Endocrine Society.