Adiponectin is viewed as an insulin-sensitizing hormone with anti-inflammatory effects. In accordance, plasma adiponectin is decreased in metabolic disorders including type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). However, in spite of the apparently beneficially effects, recent data from large prospective studies have consistently linked high adiponectin levels with increased cardiovascular (CV) disease and mortality, thus questioning the positive view on adiponectin. Accordingly, we investigated the relationship between adiponectin, incident T2DM and subsequently CV events.
We prospectively followed 5349 randomly selected men and women from the community, without T2DM or CV disease. Plasma adiponectin was measured at study entry. Median follow-up time was 8.5 years (IQR 8.0-9.1 years). During follow up, 136 participants developed T2DM. Following their diagnosis, 36 of the 136 participants experienced a CV event (myocardial infarction, ischaemic stroke, or CV death).
Participants with increasing adiponectin had reduced risk of developing T2DM (p?