All issues > Volume 52(2); 2009

Original Article

Korean J Pediatr. 2009;52(2):187-193. Published online February 15, 2009.

Serum level of the adiponectin and adiponectin I164T polymorphism in hypertensive adolescents

Jung Ah JA Lee¹, Joo Hyun JH Gil¹, Young Mi YM Hong¹

¹Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Korea

Correspondence Young Mi YM Hong ,Email: hongym@chollian.net

Abstract

Purpose
: Adiponectin is a molecule that plays an important role in the metabolic syndrome. In addition, its concentration is known to be decreased in obesity, type 2 diabetes, and coronary artery disease. Although a relationship between hypertension and serum adiponectin concentrations has been reported by several authors, such findings continue to be debated. We investigated whether hypoadiponectinemia is related to hypertension in adolescents and studied the associated genetic polymorphism.
Methods
: Forty hypertensive adolescents (Age 16-17 years old) and twenty normotensive matched subjects were included. Serum adipo-nectin, insulin, renin, aldosterone and angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) levels were compared. Their carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) and pulse wave velocity (PWV) were measured. Polymorphisms of the adiponectin I164T gene were investigated using polymerase chain reaction (PCR).
Results
: The hypertensive adolescents had significantly greater cIMT and PWV. In addition, the serum aldosterone, renin and insulin levels were significantly higher in the hypertensive group. The plasma concentrations of adiponectin did not differ significantly between the two groups. TC genotype was not found in our study subjects; they all had the TT genotype of the adiponectine gene.
Conclusion
: The results of our study showed that adiponectin levels were not significantly different in adolescents with hypertension. There was no distinctive genetic polymorphism observed in this group of patients. Further large scale studies are needed to clarify the association between genetic variations and adiponectin in hypertensive adolescents.

Keywords :Adiponectin, Hypertension, Adolescent