title: Elevated plasma adiponectin levels in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Adiponectin is an anti-inflammatory adipokine that may play a role in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) pathogenesis.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the relationship between adiponectin, interleukin (IL) 6, IL-8 and C-reactive protein (CRP) and COPD by evaluating these biomarkers in ever-smokers with or without the disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  Plasma levels of adiponectin, IL-6, IL-8 and CRP were measured using commercially available kits in COPD patients (n = 71), healthy ever-smokers (n = 62) and non-smokers (n = 51).
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were significant increases in plasma adiponectin, IL-6 and CRP in COPD patients (median [IQR] 4.39 microg/ml [2.68-6.98], 4.19 pg/ml [<2.40-6.40], 8.75 mg/l [4.26-40.63], respectively) compared to healthy ever-smokers (1.90 microg/ml [0.86-2.86], <2.40 pg/ml [<2.40-2.77], 3.71 mg/l [1.97-10.37 mg/l], respectively, P < 0.001) and non-smokers (1.76 microg/ml [1.34-2.52], <2.40 pg/ml [<2.40-2.78], 3.12 mg/l [2.11-5.71], respectively, P < 0.001). COPD patients had lower plasma IL-8 levels than healthy ever-smokers. Among ever-smokers with or without COPD, plasma adiponectin, IL-6 and CRP levels were inversely correlated with forced expiratory volume in 1 second (% predicted) after adjustment for age, body mass index, smoking status and pack-years.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings suggest that in COPD patients, adiponectin might be associated with COPD pathogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.
authors.forename: K H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: S C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Yeung
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.forename: M S M
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Ip
authors.forename: A H K
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Cheung
authors.forename: M M W
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Chan-Yeung
authors.forename: J C W
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Mak
mesh_terms: D052242:Adiponectin / Q000097:blood*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D016208:Databases, Factual; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012907:Smoking / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D052242:Adiponectin; D015415:Biomarkers; D015850:Interleukin-6; D016209:Interleukin-8; D002097:C-Reactive Protein