Gender Difference Among Smoking, Adiponectin, and High-Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein
published online 09 October 2008.
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.
aPalokka Health Centre, Central Hospital of Middle Finland, Jyväskylä
bUnit of General Practice, Central Hospital of Middle Finland, Jyväskylä, Finland
cMedcare Foundation, Äänekoski, University of Oulu, Oulu
dDepartment of General Practice, University of Oulu, Oulu
eDepartment of Public Health and Clinical Nutrition University of Kuopio, Kuopio
fUnit of Family Practice Kuopio University Hospital, Kuopio
ABSTRACT