[Hypoadiponectinemia implies the development of atherosclerosis in carotid and coronary arteries].
OBJECTIVE
Adiponectin is an adipocyte-derived endocrine factor. Hypoadiponectinemia has been observed in obese patients, and plasma adiponectin levels are reported to increase during weight reduction. Moreover, hypoadiponectinemia has also been observed in patients with coronary artery diseases. The present study investigated the relationships between levels of adiponectin and carotid intimal-medial thickness, a marker of early vascular disease, and carotid artery plaque and the severity of coronary artery disease, a marker of advanced vascular disease.


METHODS
Four hundred thirty-one consecutive patients were enrolled from inpatients without acute coronary syndrome who underwent coronary angiography between August 2001 and August 2003. The residual adiponectin levels were calculated by adjusting for sex, age, and body mass index, and a logarithmic transformation was applied. The severity of coronary artery disease was evaluated by coronary angiography and divided into four groups (Group 0: no significant organic stenosis, Group 1: 1-vessel disease, Group 2: 2-vessel disease, Group 3: 3-vessel disease or left main coronary trunk disease). Carotid plaque was evaluated by ultrasonography and divided into two groups [Group(-) : patients without carotid plaque, Group (+): patients with carotid plaque]. The intimal-medial thickness was measured on a longitudinal scan of the common carotid artery at a point 1 cm proximal from the bifurcation bulb.


RESULTS
The logarithmic-transformed levels of residual adiponectin were associated with severity of coronary artery disease (Group 0: 0.18 +/- 0.59 microg/ml, Group 1: -0.02 +/- 0.56 microg/ml, Group 2: - 0.09 +/- 0.58 microg/ml, Group 3: - 0.10 +/- 0.66 microg/ml, p = 0.0013). The logarithmic-transformed levels of residual adiponectin were decreased in patients with carotid plaque [Group (-): 0.08 +/- 0.59 microg/ml, Group (+): - 0.08 +/- 0.59 microg/ml, p = 0.045]. However, the logarithmic-transformed levels of residual adiponectin were not associated with intimal-medial thickness (p = 0.6398).


CONCLUSIONS
Hypoadiponectinemia adjusted for sex, age, body mass index implies the progression of carotid and coronary sclerosis.
Shioji
Keisuke
K
Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Kishiwada City Hospital, Gakuhara-cho 1001, Kishiwada, Osaka 596 - 8501.
Moriguchi
Akira
A
Moriwaki
Soji
S
Manabe
Kenichi
K
Takeuchi
Yuzo
Y
Uegaito
Takashi
T
Mutsuo
Satoru
S
Matsuda
Mitsuo
M
D052242:Adiponectin; D000368:Aged; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology*; D016893:Carotid Stenosis / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014463:Ultrasonography
D052242:Adiponectin; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins