Abstract
Reduced plasma adiponectin levels are associated with insulin resistance. Black South
Africans, like African Americans, are more insulin-resistant than BMI-matched white
subjects, as are Asian Indians. We investigated whether this interethnic variation
in insulin resistance is due to differences in plasma adiponectin levels. Blood and
anthropometric measurements were taken from black, white and Asian-Indian subjects.
Serum adiponectin, lipids, glucose and insulin were measured; insulin sensitivity
was calculated using HOMA. Black (HOMA = 2.62 ± 0.99) and Asian-Indian subjects (HOMA
= 3.41 ± 2.85) were more insulin-resistant than BMI-matched white (HOMA = 1.76 ± 0.63)
subjects (p = 0.0001). Furthermore, the white subjects had higher adiponectin levels
(8.11 ± 4.39 µg/ml) compared to black (5.71 ± 2.50 µg/ml) and Asian Indian (5.86 ±
2.50 µg/ml) subjects (p = 0.003). When all ethnic groups were combined, multiple regression
analysis demonstrated that serum adiponectin levels corrected for BMI and ethnicity
did not correlate with HOMA, but did explain 10.0 % of the variance in HDL-cholesterol
levels. Within each ethnic group, adiponectin only correlated inversely with HOMA
in white subjects. Adiponectin may play a role in determining serum HDL-cholesterol
levels, but ethnic variation in insulin sensitivity is not dependent on serum levels
of this adipokine. The relationship between adiponectin and insulin resistance varies
across ethnic groups.
Key words
Obesity - HOMA - HDL - ethnicity
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W. F. Ferris
Endocrinology and Metabolism Unit · Department of Internal Medicine · Faculty of Health
Sciences · University of Stellenbosch
PO Box 19063 · Tygerberg 7505 · South Africa ·
Phone: +27 (21) 938 9448
Fax: +27 (21) 931 7442
Email: Wferris@sun.ac.za
