Previous reports have suggested that low adiponectin levels may raise the risk of plaque build-up, or "atherosclerosis," in diabetics. However, the complex interplay between adiponectin levels and various metabolic parameters has not been fully investigated.

Dr. Christos S. Mantzoros, from the Harvard Medical School in Boston, and colleagues assessed the association between adiponectin levels and sugar control, cholesterol and inflammation in 925 diabetic women enrolled in the Nurses' Health Study.
Adiponectin levels increased as HDL cholesterol levels and physical activity levels rose. By contrast, adiponectin levels dropped as body weight, LDL "bad" cholesterol and various inflammatory proteins increased.

Even after adjusting for hemoglobin A1c and HDL cholesterol, adiponectin levels showed a link with inflammatory markers, suggesting that the anti-inflammatory effects of adiponectin are not due to its effects on glycemia and lipidemia.

"The strong independent associations with lipoprotein levels and inflammatory markers support the idea that adiponectin may have a beneficial effect on the development of atherogenic lesions by exerting direct anti-inflammatory and antiatherogenic actions," the authors conclude.

Overall, the results suggest that adiponectin has direct beneficial effects in preventing atherosclerosis, the authors conclude.