Plasma adiponectin in heart transplant recipients.
BACKGROUND
The association between plasma adiponectin and metabolic syndrome may be impaired in heart transplant recipients, since renal failure is frequent among these patients. Thus, we studied the relationship between metabolic syndrome and plasma adiponectin in transplanted heart recipients.


METHODS
Ninety-five heart transplant recipients were prospectively included 8.3 +/- 5.6 yr after transplantation in this cross-sectional study. All patients had physical examination, echocardiography or routine biennial coronary angiography, and laboratory measurements.


RESULTS
Metabolic syndrome was found in 31% of these patients. Plasma adiponectin was significantly lower in patients with metabolic syndrome (12.5 +/- 8.3 microg/mL) than in patients without (16.7 +/- 9.4 microg/mL, p = 0.03). Adiponectin levels were usually in the normal or high range (< 4 microg/mL in only two patients). Low creatinine clearance was associated with higher plasma adiponectin (R=-0.26, p = 0.01). Plasma adiponectin was not significantly different between the 28 patients with angiographic evidence of graft vasculopathy (13.9 +/- 9.5 microg/mL) and the 67 patients without (16.1 +/- 9.1 microg/mL, p = 0.3).


CONCLUSIONS
Contrasting with a high frequency of metabolic syndrome in these patients, adiponectin levels were usually in the normal or high range, probably as a consequence of renal failure. This suggests that adiponectin is not a major determinant for insulin resistance among these patients.
Ambrosi
Pierre
P
Department of Cardiology, Hôpital de la Timone, Marseille, France. pierre.ambrosi@ap-hm.fr
Oddoze
Christiane
C
Nicolay
Alain
A
Penet-Lorec
Anne-Marie
AM
Riberi
Alberto
A
Métras
Dominique
D
Portugal
Henri
H
Habib
Gilbert
G
D052242:Adiponectin / Q000097:blood*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004452:Echocardiography; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D016027:Heart Transplantation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies
D052242:Adiponectin