Gender Difference Among Smoking, Adiponectin, and High-Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein

Background

Subclinical inflammation is a novel risk factor of cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes. An inverse association between plasma adiponectin and insulin resistance has been previously shown. Elevated levels of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) predict future cardiovascular events. Smoking has been proven to connect with inflammatory markers. There is also evidence of a difference between genders in pro-inflammation. This study aimed to examine the connections among adiponectin, hs-CRP, and smoking and to determine possible gender differences in these associations.

Methods

Included were 365 men and 476 women; all were nondiabetic and middle-aged. Daily smoking subjects were considered to be smokers. Adiponectin and hs-CRP were analyzed. Data were collected in 1997–1998, and cytokines were analyzed in 2003.

Results

Thirty-five percent of the men and 22% of the women were smokers. In women, the adiponectin level was significantly lower in smokers (6.94±3.27 μg/ml) compared to nonsmokers (8.27±4.72 μg/ml, p=0.0017). This association remained significant after adjustment for age and BMI (p=0.0061). The hs-CRP level was significantly higher in smoking men (1.59±1.71 pg/ml) compared to nonsmoking men (1.17±1.41 pg/ml, p=0.018). This result remained after adjustment for age and BMI (p=0.0056). When smokers were compared to nonsmokers, there was no difference in adiponectin among men or in hs-CRP among women.

Conclusions

In the nondiabetic population, smoking associates differently with subclinical inflammation between genders, with a decreased adiponectin level in women and with an increased hs-CRP level in men.