title: Serum adiponectin levels in patients with pollen-induced allergic rhinitis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Several studies have outlined a possible relationship between an increased body mass index and respiratory allergic diseases, such as asthma and rhinitis.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the study was to evaluate the serum adiponectin levels in a cohort of patients with pollen-induced allergic rhinitis, enrolled outside the pollen season, and in a group of healthy controls.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study included 41 patients with moderate-severe persistent allergic rhinitis due to a pollen allergy and 34 normal subjects. All subjects were prospectively and consecutively evaluated. A skin prick test and blood sampling for assessing serum adiponectin levels were performed in all subjects.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The comparison between allergic patients and normal subjects, globally considered without gender distinction, showed slightly higher values in the allergic population. After analysing genders separately, allergic patients show significantly higher levels than normal males (p = 0.0134), whereas the comparison between allergic and normal females was not significant (p = 0.1419). In addition, in normal males adiponectin serum levels are significantly related with age (p = 0.0123).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This preliminary study provides the first evidence of significantly higher adiponectin serum levels in male patients with pollen-induced allergic rhinitis as compared to normal male subjects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria San Martino - University of Genoa; Genoa, Italy. gio.cip@libero.it
authors.forename: Giorgio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ciprandi
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Murdaca
authors.forename: Gianluigi
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Marseglia
authors.forename: Barbara Maria
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Colombo
authors.forename: Silvana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Quaglini
authors.forename: Mara
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: De Amici
mesh_terms: D052242:Adiponectin / Q000097:blood*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011058:Pollen / Q000276:immunology; D006255:Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal / Q000097:blood*; D012727:Sex Characteristics
chemical_list: D052242:Adiponectin