Adiponectin is Inversely Associated with Insulin Resistance in Adolescents with Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

Insulin Resistance (IR) is confirmed as a key feature of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) in children and adolescents. Numerous studies report that adiponectin (APN) levels are inversely associated with the status of IR in adults with NAFLD. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between serum total APNand Homeostasis Model Assessment Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR) in adolescents with NAFLD.

382 newly-diagnosed NAFLD adolescents, aged 9-16 years old, were enrolled and divided into three subgroups according to the APNtertile. Simple and multiple linear regression analyses were performed to assess the correlation between HOMA-IR and APN in boys and girls, respectively.

The HOMA-IR values tended to decrease in boys according to APN tertiles: 5.6(4.4-7.3) vs. 5.2(4.6-6.9) vs. 4.9(4.1-5.8) (p<0.01), and there was a significant difference in the HOMA-IR values among three APN tertile subgroups in girls (p<0.01). Univariate analysis showed that body mass index, waist circumference, weight-to-height ratio, fasting blood glucose, insulin, triglyceride, and APN were significantly associated with HOMA-IR in boys (p<0.05). In girls, body mass index, fasting blood glucose, insulin, total cholesterol, triglyceride, and APN were significantly associated with HOMA-IR (p<0.05).APN was found to be a significant determinant for HOMA-IR only in boys (β=-0.147, p<0.01).

Our findings showed that APN was an independent and significant determinant for increased HOMA-IR in boys with NAFLD. Further studies are needed to explore the underlying mechanisms.