Adiponectin to leptin ratio as a potential antiatherogenic index in Egyptian patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

Abstract

It has been demonstrated in recent studies that abnormal levels of
adipocytokines may contribute to insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes.
We aimed to assess the potential role of the adiponectin to leptin ratio (A/
L ratio) as a biomarker for atherosclerosis and glycemic control in type 2
diabetic patients. The serum levels of adiponectin, leptin were measured
simultaneously by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Their levels and
ratio were correlated to CRP, glycemic status and lipid profile in 60 type 2
diabetic patients compared to 30 healthy subjects. We found a significant
higher leptin and C-reactive protein (CRP) with lower adiponectin and
A/L ratio in non-controlled type 2 diabetes comparing to health and
controlled diabetic patients. Moreover, obese subjects had higher Leptin
with lower adiponectin and A/L ratio than non-obese subjects. Persons
with complicated diabetes mellitus were higher among uncontrolled DM;
they had higher leptin with lower A/L ratio compared to non complicated
diabetic patients. Leptin was negatively correlated to adiponectin (r= -
0.63). Atherogenic index was positively correlated to leptin (r= 0.778) and
negatively correlated to adiponectin (r= -0.756) and A/L ratio (r= -0.713).
Moreover, A/L ratio correlated negatively to CRP, HbA1c, FBG and BMI.
This study confirms the role of adiponectin and leptin levels in DM
control and severity of dyslipidemia. We found A/L ratio is better than
each marker alone to evaluate atherogenicity in DM and may serve as an
anti-atherogenic index and may be act as a new marker of metabolic
control for individuals with high risk of cardiovascular complications of
atherosclerosis in type II diabetes.

Keywords: Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus; C-reactive protein; Adiponectin;
Leptin.