title: Aortic valve sclerosis is associated with lower serum adiponectin levels.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The sclerotic lesions of the aortic valve share common features with atherosclerosis. An anti-inflammatory protein, adiponectin, seems to have a protective effect on the cardiovascular system. The goal of our study is to determine adiponectin levels in patients with aortic sclerosis and to compare these values with the control group with similar age and cardiovascular risk profile.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-eight patients with aortic sclerosis and 40 controls were included. Serum adiponectin levels were measured by solid-phase enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no significant differences regarding age, sex and other cardiovascular risk factors between groups. Also, mean body mass index values were similar. The rate of mitral annular calcification and left ventricular hypertrophy were significantly higher in patients with aortic sclerosis. Among laboratory variables, high-sensitive C-reactive protein (hsCRP) levels were significantly higher in patients with aortic sclerosis than in those without (4.0 ± 2.9 vs. 2.9 ± 2.3 mg/dl, P = 0.04). Adiponectin levels were found to be significantly lower in aortic sclerosis group than in controls (9.7 ± 4.4 vs. 11.7 ± 4.9 μg/ml, P = 0.034). In the whole group, adiponectin levels were significantly correlated with BMI (r = -0.22, P = 0.02), white blood cell count (r = -0.2, P = 0.03), hsCRP (r = -0.25, P = 0.008), total cholesterol (r = -0.18, P = 0.05), high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (r = 0.31, P = 0.001) and triglyceride (r = -0.36, P < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In patients with aortic sclerosis, serum adiponectin levels were significantly lower compared with those with normal aortic valves. Our findings suggested that adiponectin might play a role in the progression of degenerative aortic valve disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Turkey Yuksek Ihtisas Education and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Gizem
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Çabuk
authors.forename: Umit
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Guray
authors.forename: Habibe
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kafes
authors.forename: Yesim
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Guray
authors.forename: Ali Kemal
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Cabuk
authors.forename: Pinar T
authors.initials: PT
authors.lastname: Bayir
authors.forename: Lale D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Asarcikli
mesh_terms: D052242:Adiponectin / Q000097:blood*; D000368:Aged; D001021:Aortic Valve / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012598:Sclerosis; D014463:Ultrasonography
chemical_list: C499918:ADIPOQ protein, human; D052242:Adiponectin; D015415:Biomarkers; D008055:Lipids; D002097:C-Reactive Protein