title: Increased circulating adiponectin in males with chronic HCV hepatitis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Increased levels of adiponectin, a major adipokine with insulin sensitizing properties showing a strong sexual dimorphism, have been reported in individuals with chronic HCV infection (CHC), but data are limited by small samples and lack of control for the genetic background and hepatic fibrosis. The aim of this study was to compare adiponectin levels between CHC patients and accurately matched controls.
  
  
  METHODS
  We considered 184 CHC patients, matched (1:1) for age, gender, body mass index, and Adiponectin genotype (ADIPOQ) with healthy individuals. To control for the severity of liver disease, a second control group consisting of 95 patients with histological nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) further matched (1:1) for severe fibrosis was exploited. ADIPOQ genotype was evaluated by Taqman assays, serum adiponectin measured by ELISA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Serum adiponectin was higher in CHC patients than in healthy individuals (9.0±5.0 μg/ml vs. 7.3±4.0 μg/ml; p=0.001; adjusted estimate +1.8, 1.7-2.9; p=0.001), and than in NAFLD patients (8.3±4.5 μg/ml vs. 6.0±4.2 μg/ml; p<0.001; adjusted estimate +0.8, 0.2-1.4, p=0.006). After stratification for sex, serum adiponectin was higher in males with CHC than in healthy individuals and NAFLD patients (p<0.005 for both), whereas the difference was not significant in females.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CHC is associated with increased serum adiponectin independently of age, body mass, diabetes, ADIPOQ genotype, and of severe liver fibrosis, particularly in men.
authors: Internal Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico Milano, Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, Centro Malattie Metaboliche del Fegato, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy. Electronic address: elena.canavesi@unimi.it.
authors: Elena
authors: E
authors: Canavesi
authors: Internal Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico Milano, Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, Centro Malattie Metaboliche del Fegato, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy. Electronic address: marianna.porzio@unimi.it.
authors: Marianna
authors: M
authors: Porzio
authors: Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy. Electronic address: massimiliano.ruscica@unimi.it.
authors: Massimiliano
authors: M
authors: Ruscica
authors: Internal Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico Milano, Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, Centro Malattie Metaboliche del Fegato, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy. Electronic address: raffaela.rametta@unimi.it.
authors: Raffaela
authors: R
authors: Rametta
authors: Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy. Electronic address: chiara.macchi@unimi.it.
authors: Chiara
authors: C
authors: Macchi
authors: Internal Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico Milano, Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, Centro Malattie Metaboliche del Fegato, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy. Electronic address: serena.pelusi@unimi.it.
authors: Serena
authors: S
authors: Pelusi
authors: Internal Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico Milano, Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, Centro Malattie Metaboliche del Fegato, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy. Electronic address: anna.fracanzani@unimi.it.
authors: Anna Ludovica
authors: AL
authors: Fracanzani
authors: Internal Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico Milano, Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, Centro Malattie Metaboliche del Fegato, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy. Electronic address: paola.dongiovanni@policlinico.mi.it.
authors: Paola
authors: P
authors: Dongiovanni
authors: Internal Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico Milano, Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, Centro Malattie Metaboliche del Fegato, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy. Electronic address: silvia.fargion@unimi.it.
authors: Silvia
authors: S
authors: Fargion
authors: Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy. Electronic address: paolo.magni@unimi.it.
authors: Paolo
authors: P
authors: Magni
authors: Internal Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico Milano, Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, Centro Malattie Metaboliche del Fegato, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy. Electronic address: luca.valenti@unimi.it.
authors: Luca
authors: L
authors: Valenti
mesh_terms: D052242:Adiponectin / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D065626:Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease / Q000097:blood; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012737:Sex Factors
chemical_list: D052242:Adiponectin
keywords: Adipokines; Adiponectin; Gender; Hepatic fibrosis; Hepatitis C virus; Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease