Exploring the relationship between adiponectin and reproductive transition among diabetic and non-diabetic women

Abstract

Introduction and Aim: The reproductive aging and the menopausal transition is a period of life in females which is well associated with several changes in the adipose tissue and the hormones. Little is known about the circulating levels of adiponectin and the status of the reproductive age. The aim of the study was to understand whether these transition changes affect the levels of adiponectin in the blood and the BMI.
 
 Materials and Methods: This was a cross sectional study with 73 diabetic females matched with 106 nondiabetic females. The subjects were between the age of 30-60 years. Serum adiponectin levels were estimated using precoated ELISA technique and BMI was calculated.
 
 Results: The study subjects showed age matched distribution. BMI showed significant difference between normal and diabetic subjects but failed to hold the significant difference when grouped based on their reproductive transition. Adiponectin failed to show any significant difference between diabetic and normal subjects, but adiponectin levels differed well with the reproductive group in diabetics only (p=0.008) and in normal subjects the difference was not statistically significant (p=0.07).
 
 Conclusion: This study does not hold up changes in BMI because of a transition in reproductive age and this causes a change in levels of adiponectin. However, the effect of diabetes on adiponectin level seems to be valid. The variation in the level of adiponectin is because of diabetes in the menopause state. Further the adiponectin and BMI did not show any significant difference between the age groups which shows that age is not a contributing factor for changes in BMI and levels of adiponectin.