The precise mechanism linking obesity and vascular disease is still unclear. Previous studies have demonstrated that the plasma levels of adiponectin, an adipose-derived hormone, decrease in obese subjects, and that hypoadiponectinemia are associated with ischemic heart disease. In this study, we investigated the determinant factors of plasma adiponectin concentration in healthy premenopausal women.

We analyzed the plasma adiponectin concentrations in healthy, obese premenopausal women (n=37, BMI≥25 Kg/m²) and in age-matched, healthy, non-obese premenopausal women (n=23, BMI<25 Kg/m²). The visceral and subcutaneous fat areas were measured by CT scan.

Plasma levels of adiponectin in the obese subjects were lower than those in the non-obese subjects (3.24±1.08 vs. 4.90±2.06 microgram/ml, p<0.01). Significant, univariate, inverse correlations were observed between plasma adiponectin levels and visceral fat areas (r=-0.643, p<0.001), and between adiponectin levels and subcutaneous fat areas (r=-0.407, p<0.01). In univariate analysis, adiponectin was directly related to insulin sensitivity, hsCRP, triglyceride, HDL and LDL cholesterol. In multivariate analysis, visceral fat areas (beta=-0.483, p=0.001) and HDL cholesterol remained significantly related to plasma adiponectin concentrations (beta=0.283, p<0.05).

These results suggest that HDL cholesterol and visceral fat mass were independently associated with plasma concentrations of adiponectin.