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 (p = 0.6 and p = 0.5 respectively).Resistin levels were significantly higher in the diabetic group compared to controls (p < 0.001) and in postpubertal patients compared to prepubertal patients (p < 0.04).Serum resistin in type 1 diabetes showed a negative correlation with vitamin D (p < 0.001) and a positive correlation with glycated hemoglobin (HbA 1c ) (p = 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.