title: Adiponectin relation to skin changes and dyslipidemia in systemic sclerosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Adiponectin was initially described as a regulator of metabolic homeostases. Further studies demonstrated its involvement in the regulation of inflammatory diseases, particularly rheumatic and vascular diseases and some fibrotic processes. The aim of this study was to evaluate adiponectin in the circulation of patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) and characterise its potential association with skin changes and SSc-related features.
  
  
  METHODS
  Serum levels of adiponectin, interleukin-6 and soluble receptor for interleukin-2 (by ELISA), lipid levels, CRP (by turbidimetry), ANA (by immunofluorescence), autoantibodies of the ENA complex (by immunoblot) and urine levels of pyridinoline and deoxypyridinoline (by HPLC) were measured in 39 patients with SSc, and adiponectin levels were determined in 30 healthy controls matched by age, sex, and body mass index (BMI). Organ manifestations were recorded and skin changes were assessed using the modified Rodnan skin score.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Adiponectin serum levels were similar between patients with SSc and healthy controls (median (IQR), 6.9 (5.9-9.1) vs. 7.8 (6.2-9.5)μg/ml, p=0.670). Levels of serum (ln) adiponectin were negatively correlated with the skin score (r=-0.379, p=0.017). Regression analysis of the relationship between adiponectin and markers of interest provided two statistically significant models: A- with explanatory variables HDL-cholesterol, skin score, disease duration, age (R(2)=0.580); and B- with CRP, skin score, age (R(2)=0.550); in order of a decreasing influence.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Based on the results of this study, it might be speculated that adiponectin plays a protective role in skin- and atherosclerosis-related changes during SSc.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Rheumatology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Rheumatology, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic. michaltomcik@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Michal
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tomčík
authors.forename: Kazuhiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Arima
authors.forename: Hana
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hulejová
authors.forename: Markéta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kuklová
authors.forename: Mária
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Filková
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Braun
authors.forename: Jaromír
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Beláček
authors.forename: Marek
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Novák
authors.forename: Radim
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bečvář
authors.forename: Jiří
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vencovský
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Haluzík
authors.forename: Steffen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gay
authors.forename: Ulf
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Müller-Ladner
authors.forename: Oliver
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Distler
authors.forename: Ladislav
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Senolt
mesh_terms: D052242:Adiponectin / Q000097:blood*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D050171:Dyslipidemias / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012595:Scleroderma, Systemic / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology; D012867:Skin / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D052242:Adiponectin