Context: Adiponectin is a recognized protective risk marker for cardiovascular disease in adults and is associated with an optimal lipid profile. The role of adiponectin at birth is not well understood and its relationship with the neonatal lipid profile is unknown. Since ethnic disparities in cardiovascular risk have been attributed to low adiponectin and its associated low high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, investigation at birth may help determine the etiology of these risk patterns.

Objective: To investigate the relationship between neonatal adiponectin and lipid profile at birth in 2 ethnic groups in cord blood.

Design, setting and participants: 74 healthy mothers and their newborns of South Asian and White European origin were studied in this cross-sectional study at St Mary's Hospital, Manchester, UK.

Main Outcome Measures: Serum adiponectin, total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and triglyceride levels were measured in umbilical venous blood at birth and in maternal blood collected at 28 weeks' gestation.

Results: Cord adiponectin was significantly inversely associated with cord LDL-C (r = -0.32, P = 0.005) but not HDL-C. In a multiple regression analysis cord LDL-C remained the most significant association of cord adiponectin ( = - 0.13, P < 0.001). We did not find any significant ethnic differences in cord adiponectin or lipids with the exception of triglycerides which were significantly lower in South Asian newborns (P < 0.05).

Conclusion: This is the first report of an inverse relationship between cord adiponectin and LDL-C at birth. In contrast to adult studies, we found no significant association between adiponectin and HDL-C in cord blood. Our results and the strong independent association between adiponectin and HDL-C observed in adult studies suggest a role for adiponectin in lipid metabolism. Ethnic differences in adiponectin may arise after birth.