Assessment of serum and salivary adiponectin levels in newly diagnosed Type II diabetes mellitus patients

BACKGROUND: Adiponectin, an adipocytokine, plays an important role in the development of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) in obese and cardiovascular disease patients, with few studies having observed low plasma concentrations. Persistent low-grade inflammation, an important feature in T2DM and obesity, bears an indirect influence on insulin resistance and insulin secretion and is reflected by increased plasma levels of C-reactive protein (CRP). Thus, low levels of anti-inflammatory cytokine, adiponectin, depicts that inflammation could be the link between T2DM, obesity and adiponectin. Since these factors need to be explored to prevent or adequately treat T2DM, especially among Indian diabetics, this study was undertaken. Also of interest was to assess its salivary concentrations. AIM: This study aimed to assess serum and salivary adiponectin levels in newly diagnosed T2DM individuals along with postprandial blood sugar (PPBS) and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA(1C)) and high-sensitivity-CRP (hs-CRP). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Serum and salivary levels of adiponectin, PPBS, HbA(1c) and hs-CRP were assessed in 30 newly diagnosed T2DM (Group I) individuals and compared with 30 healthy individuals (Group II, healthy control). Glucose oxidase peroxidase, automatic analyzer, turbidimetric immunoassay and ELISA methods were adopted for PPBS, HbA(1c), hs-CRP and adiponectin estimation. RESULTS: Statistically significant decrease in mean serum (16.93 ± 3.86) and salivary (24.96 ± 8.21) adiponectin levels, were observed in Group I compared to Group II individuals with a p value of 0.00 and 0.04 respectively. In Group I individuals a significant p value of 0.02 was noted only between salivary adiponectin and PPBS. None of the other parameters correlated significantly with serum adiponectin levels. CONCLUSION: Decreased serum and salivary adiponectin levels in T2DM furthered the importance of its role in Indian T2DM. Decreased salivary adiponectin levels probably reflected salivary hypofunction. This being the preliminary study in saliva, more studies are required to emphasize its role both as a diagnostic marker and as an anti-inflammatory cytokine in T2DM.