Abstract
Diabetes mellitus, a chronic metabolic condition that can lead to retinopathy, neuropathy, and nephropathy, causes hyperglycemia due to reduced insulin action and secretion. This study investigated the use of adiponectin, insulin, HbA1c, and homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) as monitoring and treatment markers for type 2 diabetes. The study included 90 participants from Benin City, 60 of whom had type 2 diabetes and 30 were healthy controls, aged 29 to 60. HbA1c, fasting glucose, and lipid profiles were measured spectrophotometrically, while serum adiponectin and fasting insulin levels were assayed using ELISA. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS 26.0 (IBM). Diabetic patients showed significantly lower adiponectin levels (P<0.05) and higher fasting insulin, blood glucose, HOMA-IR, and BMI levels (P<0.05) compared to controls. No gender differences were observed in these markers (P>0.05). Fasting insulin, fasting blood glucose, HbA1c, HOMA-IR, and BMI were all strongly negatively correlated with adiponectin levels. The lower adiponectin levels in insulin-resistant individuals suggest that early assessment and treatment to increase adiponectin may improve insulin sensitivity, making it a promising diagnostic marker for type 2 diabetes.
Key words: Body mass index, fasting insulin, glycated haemoglobin, diabetes, adiponectin.
