Serum Adipokines and Vitamin D Levels in Patients with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus

Introduction: Adiponectin, leptin and resistin are adipokines that play important roles in the regulation of lipid and carbohydrate metabolism in type 2 diabetes (T2DM). However, their influence in type 1 diabetes mellitus is still unknown. The aim of this study was to measure serum adiponectin, leptin and resistin levels and to investigate their relationships with vitamin D and other clinical and laboratory parameters in patients with type 1 diabetes.

Material And Methods: Fifty subjects with type 1 diabetes and 50 healthy age- and sex-matched subjects were selected from the Endocrinology Outpatient Clinic of Cairo University Pediatrics Hospital. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to measure the levels of leptin, adiponectin and resistin. Vitamin D levels were measured using electro-chemiluminescence immunoassay.

Results: There were no significant differences in adiponectin and leptin levels between diabetic and control subjects ( = 0.6 and = 0.5 respectively). Resistin levels were significantly higher in the diabetic group compared to controls ( < 0.001) and in postpubertal patients compared to prepubertal patients ( < 0.04). Serum resistin in type 1 diabetes showed a negative correlation with vitamin D ( < 0.001) and a positive correlation with glycated hemoglobin (HbA) ( = 0.006), while other adipokines were not interrelated.

Conclusions: These results strongly support a role of resistin and vitamin D deficiency in the pathophysiology of type 1 diabetes. Vitamin D may be involved in resistin regulation through an unknown mechanism. Further studies are recommended to understand resistin regulation in type 1 diabetes.