Increase in serum adiponectin concentration in patients with heart failure and cachexia: relationship with leptin, other cytokines, and B-type natriuretic peptide.
OBJECTIVE
Adiponectin is a fat-derived hormone involved in the regulation of metabolism. Adiponectin concentration is inversely related to body weight and, in animals, causes weight loss. We, therefore, measured adiponectin concentration in patients with heart failure (HF) and cachexia.


RESULTS
Serum adiponectin concentrations were measured in three groups of patients with coronary artery disease (CAD): (i) HF, reduced left ventricular systolic function, and cachexia (n = 10); (ii) HF, reduced systolic function but no cachexia (n = 20); (iii) HF-controls-patients with CAD, no HF, and preserved systolic function (n = 10); and in a healthy control group (n = 7). Patients with HF and cachexia had higher concentrations of adiponectin [23.8 (10.2-37.2) microg/mL] than all other groups: HF-no cachexia 8.1 (0.5-16.6) microg/mL; CAD-controls 7.1 (0.4-13.5) microg/mL; and healthy controls 8.7 (2.5-16.8) microg/mL) (P < 0.05 for each comparison). Adiponectin correlated negatively with body mass index, percentage of body fat, waist circumference and insulin resistance, and positively with B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) and tumour necrosis factor-alpha.


CONCLUSIONS
Cachexia in HF is associated with an increase in adiponectin concentration. This may represent preservation of the physiological response to change in body fat but might also suggest that adiponectin plays a role in the pathogenesis of cachexia. The correlation between BNP and adiponectin also raises the possibility that the former might increase the secretion of the latter.
McEntegart
Margaret B
MB
BHF Cardiovascular Research Centre, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland, UK. mbmcentegart@doctors.org.uk
Awede
Bonaventure
B
Petrie
Mark C
MC
Sattar
Naveed
N
Dunn
Francis G
FG
MacFarlane
Niall G
NG
McMurray
John J V
JJ
D052242:Adiponectin / Q000378:metabolism*; D000368:Aged; D001823:Body Composition; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D002100:Cachexia / Q000097:blood*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D005919:Glomerular Filtration Rate / Q000502:physiology; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D007333:Insulin Resistance / Q000502:physiology; D020738:Leptin / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000502:physiology; D013318:Stroke Volume / Q000502:physiology
D052242:Adiponectin; D020738:Leptin; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain; D002097:C-Reactive Protein