title: Elevated serum levels of resistin, leptin, and adiponectin are associated with C-reactive protein and also other clinical conditions in rheumatoid arthritis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Body fat is an important source of hormones and cytokines (adipokines) that not only regulate the energy balance, but also regulate the inflammatory and immune responses. This study investigated the association of clinical conditions with serum levels of adipokines in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Serum levels of resistin, leptin, and adiponectin were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in 141 patients (110 women) who fulfilled the 1987 revised criteria of the American Rheumatism Association for the diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis and in 146 normal controls (124 women). Then the correlations between adipokine levels and clinical parameters were evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The serum resistin level did not differ between the patients and controls. However, serum leptin levels were significantly higher in male and female rheumatoid arthritis patients than in the corresponding controls, while the serum adiponectin level was significantly higher in female patients than in female controls. Multivariate analysis revealed that predictors of an elevated resistin level were female sex and C-reactive protein (CRP), while the leptin level was related to the body mass index and CRP. Predictors of an elevated adiponectin level were the use of prednisolone and CRP, however, CRP was negatively associated with adiponectin in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The serum levels of resistin and leptin were positively associated with CRP level in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, suggesting that these adipokines may act as pro-inflammatory cytokines in this disease. The serum adiponectin level was elevated in the patients, however, it was negatively associated with CRP level. In addition, the serum levels of resistin, leptin, and adiponectin were also associated with female sex, BMI and the use of prednisolone, respectively.
authors.affiliation: Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine (Omori), Toho University School of Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: Takumi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yoshino
authors.forename: Natsuko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kusunoki
authors.forename: Nahoko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: Kaichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kaneko
authors.forename: Yoshie
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kusunoki
authors.forename: Hirahito
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Endo
authors.forename: Tomoko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hasunuma
authors.forename: Shinichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kawai
mesh_terms: D052242:Adiponectin / Q000097:blood; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001799:Blood Sedimentation; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D020738:Leptin / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D052243:Resistin / Q000097:blood*; D012727:Sex Characteristics
chemical_list: C499918:ADIPOQ protein, human; D052242:Adiponectin; D015415:Biomarkers; D020738:Leptin; C499624:RETN protein, human; D052243:Resistin; D002097:C-Reactive Protein