title: Relationship between adiponectin, obesity and insulin resistance.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  the conditions of obesity and overweight pose a major risk for a number of comorbidities, including clinical syndromes resulting from atherosclerotic disease. Recent studies strongly indicate that adipose tissue is an active endocrine organ that secretes bioactive factors such as adipokines. Adiponectin appears to have a regulatory role in the mechanism of insulin resistance and in the development of atherosclerosis. This systematic review aims to evaluate the anti-atherogenic effects of adiponectin and its properties to improve and mimic metabolic and vascular actions of insulin and its influence on endothelial function.
  
  
  METHODS
  a qualitative, exploratory and literature review was performed in the PubMed, Portal Capes and Scielo databases using as key-words "adiponectin", "obesity", "insulin resistance", "anti-inflammatory", "therapeutic strategies" and "future prospects".
  
  
  RESULTS
  evidence suggests that adiponectin has anti-atherogenic properties with anti-inflammatory effects on the vascular wall. Moreover, it modifies the vascular intracellular signaling and has indirect antioxidant effects on the human myocardium. On the other hand, there are studies suggesting that increased levels of adiponectin are paradoxically associated with a worse prognosis in heart failure syndrome, although the mechanisms are not clear.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  it is not clear whether adiponectin levels have any clinical significance for risk stratification in cardiovascular disease or if they simply reflect the activation of complex underlying mechanisms. Changes in lifestyle and some drug treatments for hypertension and coronary heart disease have shown significant effect to increase adiponectin levels, and simultaneously decrease in insulin resistance and endothelial dysfunction.
authors.affiliation: Cardiology University Foundation, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Guilherme Ardenghi
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Balsan
authors.affiliation: Medical Residency Outpatient Clinic, Institute of Cardiology, FUC-RS, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: José Luiz da Costa
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Vieira
authors.affiliation: Institute of Cardiology, FUC-RS, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Aline Marcadenti de
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.affiliation: Graduate Program in Health Sciences, FUC-RS, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Vera Lúcia
authors.initials: VL
authors.lastname: Portal
mesh_terms: D052242:Adiponectin / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000502:physiology*; D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000378:metabolism*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007333:Insulin Resistance / Q000502:physiology*; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism*; D054419:Receptors, Adiponectin / Q000378:metabolism; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D052242:Adiponectin; D054419:Receptors, Adiponectin