Association between lower plasma adiponectin levels and higher plasma thrombin generation parameters in men with type 2 diabetes: role of plasma triglycerides

• Published in: Journal of endocrinological investigation Vol. 44; no. 3; pp. 547 - 555
• Main Authors: Mantovani, A., Danese, E., Salvagno, G. L., Gelati, M., Turino, T., Bovo, C., Lippi, G., Targher, G.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cham Springer International Publishing 01-03-2021; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Adiponectin; Adipose tissue; Cardiovascular diseases; Diabetes; Diabetes mellitus (non-insulin dependent); Endocrinology; Hemoglobin; Insulin; Internal Medicine; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Metabolic Diseases; Original Article; Plasma; Thrombin; Triglycerides; Type 2 diabetes; Triglycerides; Plasma thrombin generation; Adiponectin
• ISSN: 1720-8386; 0391-4097; 1720-8386
• DOI: 10.1007/s40618-020-01340-3

Objective
Previous studies showed a significant association between lower plasma adiponectin levels and higher risk of adverse cardiovascular outcomes in patients with and without type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Presently, it is uncertain whether lower plasma adiponectin levels are associated with greater plasma thrombin generation in patients with T2DM.
Patients and methods
We studied 82 middle-aged men with non-insulin-treated T2DM [mean age ± SD: 64.1 ± 8 years; median duration of diabetes: 12.5 (inter-quartile range 6–19) years; mean hemoglobin A1c 7.0 ± 0.7%], consecutively attending our diabetes outpatient service over a 6-month period. Using the newly developed fully automated thrombin generation analyzer ST Genesia®, we measured the plasma parameters lag time (LT), time to peak (TP), peak height (PH) and endogenous thrombin potential (ETP) in all participants.
Results
In univariable linear regression analyses, lower plasma adiponectin levels were significantly associated with higher plasma thrombin generation parameters, as reflected by higher values of PH (Pearson’s
r
coefficient = − 0.228,
p
 = 0.039) and EPT (
r
 = − 0.293,
p
 = 0.007). Plasma adiponectin levels were not significantly associated with other thrombin generation parameters (LT and TP). Notably, the significant associations of plasma adiponectin levels with thrombin PH and EPT values persisted after adjustment for age and adiposity measures, but they were lost after additional adjustment for plasma triglycerides.
Conclusion
Our findings show for the first time the existence of a significant association between lower levels of plasma adiponectin and greater plasma thrombin generation (as assessed by the ST Genesia® analyzer) in men with non-insulin-treated T2DM, which appears to be largely mediated by plasma triglycerides.