Our aim was to investigate plasma levels of adiponectin, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) in low birth weight (LBW) children and to determine correlations among these adipokines and birth weight and cardiovascular disease risk factors. In a case-control study, the concentrations of adiponectin, MCP-1 and PAI-1 were measured in 180 schoolchildren (ages 6-11 years). MCP-1 and PAI-1 levels were significantly elevated in LBW children. Conversely, adiponectin concentration was significantly reduced in these children. Similar findings were observed after adjustment for current age, gender and abdominal circumference. Because the children with LBW had altered adipokine levels, as well as higher abdominal circumference, HOMA-IR and systolic blood pressure (SBP), we evaluated the correlation among these variables. These analyses showed that adiponectin levels were inversely correlated with systolic blood pressure (SBP) (r = -0.501; P < 0.001), HOMA-IR (r = -0.293; P = 0.023) and waist circumference (r = -0.317; P = 0.014). The proinflammatory markers were positively correlated with HOMA-IR (PAI-1: r = 0.358; P = 0.005) and waist circumference (PAI-1: r = 0.571; P < 0.001 and MCP-1: r = 0.267; P = 0.039).
Conclusion: Adipokines levels were correlated with cardiovascular risk factors in LBW children, and these compounds could be involved in the mechanism that links birth weight to the development of cardiovascular diseases in adulthood.