Association of adiponectin with hypertension in type 2 diabetic patients: the gender effect

Adiponectin is an adipokine involved in the regulation of body metabolism and immune response. Circulating levels and/or activity of adiponectin were reported to influence susceptibility to several diseases, including type 2 diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease, and metabolic syndrome. In this study, serum adiponectin levels and the association of adiponectin gene (ADIPQO) single-nucleotide polymorphism (G276T SNP) with hypertension in type 2 diabetic patients were examined. Type 2 diabetic patients (n = 449) were recruited and divided into two groups, normotensive (n = 199) and hypertensive (n = 250). Results demonstrated that serum adiponectin levels were significantly higher in normotensive subjects compared with hypertensive subjects (P < .05). When these results were compared according to gender, only female hypertensive diabetic patients showed significantly higher levels of adiponectin (P < .05). In addition, no significant difference in the genotypes and alleles frequencies of ADIPQO G276T SNP was observed between the two groups (P > .05). In conclusion, high circulating levels of adiponectin were found to be associated with hypertension only in type 2 diabetic female patients which might indicate a gender preference.