Accumulation of subcutaneous fat,but not visceral fat,is a predictor of adiponectin levels in preterm infants at term-equivalent age

Background

Preterm infants have altered fat tissue development, including a higher percentage of fat mass and increased volume of visceral fat. They also have altered adiponectin levels, including a lower ratio of high-molecular-weight adiponectin (HMW-Ad) to total adiponectin (T-Ad) at term-equivalent age, compared with term infants.

Aims

The objective of this study was to investigate the association between adiponectin levels and fat tissue accumulation or distribution in preterm infants at term-equivalent age.

Study design

Cross-sectional clinical study.

Subjects

Study subjects were 53 preterm infants born at ≤ 34 weeks gestation with a mean birth weight of 1592 g.

Outcome measures

Serum levels of T-Ad and HMW-Ad were measured and a computed tomography (CT) scan was performed at the level of the umbilicus at term-equivalent age to analyze how fat tissue accumulation or distribution was correlated with adiponectin levels.

Results

T-Ad (r = 0.315, p = 0.022) and HMW-Ad levels (r = 0.338, p = 0.013) were positively associated with subcutaneous fat area evaluated by performing CT scan at term-equivalent age, but were not associated with visceral fat area in simple regression analyses. In addition, T-Ad (β = 0.487, p = 0.003) and HMW-Ad levels (β = 0.602, p < 0.001) were positively associated with subcutaneous fat tissue area, but they were not associated with visceral fat area also in multiple regression analyses.

Conclusion

Subcutaneous fat accumulation contributes to increased levels of T-Ad and HMW-Ad, while visceral fat accumulation does not influence adiponectin levels in preterm infants at term-equivalent age.