Circulating adipocytokines in non-diabetic and Type 1 diabetic children: relationship to insulin therapy, glycaemic control and pubertal development

Aim To determine the influence of Type 1 diabetes mellitus on circulating adipocytokines in children. Methods The circulating concentrations of leptin, adiponectin, resistin and turnout necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha were measured in 91 children,aged 11.1 +/- 2.7years, with Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). Ninety-one healthy children were selected as control subjects. Results Body mass index-adjusted leptin concentrations were higher in the pubertal diabetic children compared with the control children. There was a significant positive correlation between leptin and daily insulin dose in the diabetic group. Circulating adiponectin concentrations were higher in the prepubertal diabetic children and were positively associated with HbA(1c). Resistin concentrations were lower in the prepubertal non-diabetic subjects compared with the pubertal non-diabetic children, whose values were higher than those of the diabetic children. TNF-alpha concentrations were similar in non-diabetic and diabetic children. Conclusions Circulating concentrations of adipocytokines are abnormal in Type 1 diabetic children, although the direction of change differs by cytokine. Pubertal development, in addition to insulin treatment and glycaemic control, also influences the concentrations.