Correlation between serum C1q-adiponectin/total adiponectin ratio and polyvascular lesions detected by vascular ultrasonography in Japanese type 2 diabetics

ObjectiveAtherosclerosis is a disease of blood vessels. Adiponectin is a biomarker of atherosclerosis. Adiponectin and C1q form a protein complex in human blood, and serum C1q-binding adiponectin (C1q-APN) can be measured. We investigated the relationship between various serum adiponectin parameters and polyvascular atherosclerosis score assessed by vascular ultrasonography, in subjects with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).MethodsThe study subjects were 108 outpatients with T2DM who underwent evaluation for atherosclerosis by vascular ultrasonography. Polyvascular atherosclerosis score represented the sum of atherosclerotic abnormalities in the aorta, carotid, renal and common iliac arteries. Blood C1q, total-adiponectin (Total-APN), high molecular weight-adiponectin (HMW-APN) and C1q-APN were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. The estimated visceral fat area (eVFA) was measured by bioelectrical impedance.ResultsPolyvascular atherosclerosis score correlated only with the C1q-APN/Total-APN ratio (p = 0.018 for trend). There were no significant relationships between various adiponectin parameters and carotid maximum intima–media thickness and ankle–brachial index. Age-, sex-, eVFA-adjusted multiple logistic regression analysis that included the above variables identified serum C1q-APN/Total-APN ratio as the only significant and independent determinant of polyvascular atherosclerosis score.ConclusionsSerum C1q-APN/Total-APN ratio correlates with atherosclerosis detected by polyvascular vascular ultrasonography, independent of gender and visceral adiposity, in T2DM.