title: Circulating adipokines and organ involvement in patients with systemic sclerosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In recent years, mediators synthesized in the adipose tissue, the so-called adipokines, have been reported to play important roles in the pathogenesis of autoimmune rheumatic diseases.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To compare serum leptin, adiponectin and resistin levels in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) and healthy controls. To find possible relationship between serum levels of adipokines and organ involvement with focus on interstitial lung disease in SSc patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Lung involvement was assessed functionally (body plethysmography, diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide (DLCO) and six-minute walk test) and radiologically (using average disease extent on high resolution computed tomography (HRCT) of the lungs according to the percentage of interstitial changes) in 29 SSc patients. Quantitative sandwich ELISA was used to measure resistin, leptin and adiponectin concentrations in sera of patients and 30 healthy controls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found no statistically significant differences in serum resistin, leptin and adiponectin levels between SSc patients and the controls. However, serum adiponectin concentrations were significantly lower in active than in inactive patients, they also correlated positively with vital capacity (VC) (p=0.04) and negatively with Valentini activity score (p=0.04). Serum resistin levels were significantly elevated in patients with digital ulcers (p=0.03) and serum concentrations of leptin were associated with the duration of SSc symptoms other than Raynaud's phenomenon (p<0.01) CONCLUSIONS: Serum adiponectin should be further investigated as a candidate for SSc activity marker and resistin may play a role in ulcer development in SSc patients.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Olewicz-Gawlik
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Danczak-Pazdrowska
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kuznar-Kaminska
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Batura-Gabryel
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Katulska
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wojciech
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Trzybulska
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hrycaj
mesh_terms: D052242:Adiponectin / Q000097:blood*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020738:Leptin / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D052243:Resistin / Q000097:blood*; D012595:Scleroderma, Systemic / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: C499918:ADIPOQ protein, human; D052242:Adiponectin; D020738:Leptin; C499624:RETN protein, human; D052243:Resistin