To assess the effect of 16 weeks of liraglutide administration on the plasma levels of adiponectin and resistin in Chinese patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Forty-four subjects were recruited and randomly assigned to once-a-day dosage of either liraglutide, or glimepiride (4 mg) in a double-blinded double-dummy active-controlled study. All treatments were administered in combination with metformin (1 g, twice daily). The efficacy of liraglutide was estimated by measuring and comparing the levels of HbA1c, adiponectin and resistin in the plasma before and after the 16-week treatment.

The plasma level of adiponectin was significantly increased (0.74 ± 0.19 ng/ml, p < 0.05) and resistin was significantly lowered (−1.34 ± 0.34 pg/ml, p < 0.05) in a dose-dependent manner in the liraglutide group when compared with the glimepiride group (−0.44 ± 0.09 ng/ml of adiponectin and 0.14 ± 0.41 pg/ml of resistin). In contrast, we found no differences in the decrease in HbA1c between the two groups (8.3 ± 1.2% to 7.2 ± 1.1% in NGSP units vs. 8.3 ± 1.0% to 7.3 ± 1.2% in NGSP units; 67 ± 13 mmol/mol to 55 ± 12 mmol/mol vs. 67 ± 11 mmol/mol to 56 ± 13 mmol/mol in IFCC units).

In Chinese T2DM patients, liraglutide treatment led to increased adiponectin and decreased resistin levels compared to glimepiride-treated subjects, while inducing similar glycemic changes.