Association between plasma adiponectin levels and colorectal cancer risk in women.
BACKGROUND
Adiponectin, an adipocyte-secreted hormone, has insulin-sensitizing characteristics. It remains unclear whether adiponectin may influence colorectal cancer development.


METHODS
To determine whether prediagnostic levels of adiponectin were associated with risk of incident colorectal cancer in the Women's Health Study, we conducted a nested case-control study of 275 colorectal cancer cases and 275 matched controls. Each case was matched to a control by age, ethnicity, fasting status at the time of blood collection, time of day when blood was drawn, and month of blood draw. Multivariable logistic regression with adjustment for colorectal cancer risk factors was used to estimate the odds ratio (OR) and 95 % confidence interval (CI) for risk of colorectal cancer incidence and mortality by adiponectin quartiles based on the control distribution.


RESULTS
Median plasma adiponectin level was similar in cases versus controls (6.00 vs. 6.24 μg/mL). In multivariable-adjusted logistic regression models, high plasma adiponectin levels were not significantly associated with risk of colorectal cancer [quartile 4 (Q4) vs. quartile 1 (Q1): OR (95 % CI) 0.86 (0.48-1.56), p trend = 0.63].


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest no appreciable association between plasma adiponectin and risk of colorectal cancer in women. Confirmation of these observations in larger studies is needed.
Division of Preventive Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 900 Commonwealth Avenue, 3rd Floor, Boston, MA, 02215, USA, pchandler@partners.org.
Paulette D
PD
Chandler
Julie E
JE
Buring
JoAnn E
JE
Manson
M V
MV
Moorthy
Shumin
S
Zhang
I-Min
IM
Lee
Jennifer H
JH
Lin
D052242:Adiponectin / Q000097:blood*; D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D016015:Logistic Models; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012307:Risk Factors; D016387:Women's Health
C499918:ADIPOQ protein, human; D052242:Adiponectin