Levels of the adipocyte-derived plasma protein, adiponectin, have a close relationship with atheroma

• Published in: Thrombosis research 2005, Vol.115 (6), p.483-490
• Main Authors: Kojima, Sunao, Funahashi, Tohru, Maruyoshi, Hidetomo, Honda, Osamu, Sugiyama, Seigo, Kawano, Hiroaki, Soejima, Hirofumi, Miyamoto, Shinzo, Hokamaki, Jun, Sakamoto, Tomohiro, Yoshimura, Michihiro, Kitagawa, Akira, Matsuzawa, Yuji, Ogawa, Hisao
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adiponectin; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Arteriosclerosis - blood; Arteriosclerosis - diagnostic imaging; Atherosclerosis; Biological and medical sciences; Blood and lymphatic vessels; Body Mass Index; C-reactive protein (CRP); C-Reactive Protein - metabolism; Cardiology. Vascular system; Coronary artery disease (CAD); Coronary heart disease; Coronary Vessels - metabolism; Diseases of the peripheral vessels. Diseases of the vena cava. Miscellaneous; Endarterectomy, Carotid - methods; Female; Heart; High-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C); Humans; Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins - blood; Intima-media thickness (IMT); Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Neurology; Regression Analysis; Risk Factors; Ultrasonography - methods; Vascular diseases and vascular malformations of the nervous system
• ISSN: 0049-3848; 1879-2472
• DOI: 10.1016/j.thromres.2004.09.012

Inflammation is a key process in atherosclerotic formation. Structural changes in the carotid arterial wall including detection of focal plaques are measured as the intima-media thickness (IMT) providing an index of atheroma. Coronary arterial plaques may be considered as vascular structural changes. Distensibility of the arteries can be assessed by functional changes in pulse wave velocity (PWV) providing an index of sclerosis. Adiponectin has potential antiatherosclerotic properties. We hypothesized that adiponectin was associated with atherosclerotic vascular changes involved in inflammation. We enrolled 142 patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) and 108 control patients, matched for age, sex, and body mass index (BMI) with CAD patients. We investigated the relationship between adiponectin, C-reactive protein (CRP), and atherosclerotic vascular changes. CRP ( p=0.0009), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C; p=0.02), and IMTmax ( p=0.02) were determinants of adiponectin independent of glucose intolerance ( p=0.0001), BMI ( p=0.002), and CAD ( p=0.03), all of which have been significantly associated with adiponectin ( r=0.38). Adiponectin was not correlated with PWV. CRP, glucose intolerance, and HDL-C that correlated with adiponectin were inversely correlated with IMTmax and CAD. CRP was negatively correlated with HDL-C ( r=−0.24, p=0.0002) and positively correlated with glucose intolerance ( r=0.15, p=0.01). Adiponectin has a close relationship with CRP, IMTmax, CAD, HDL-C, and other established risk factors. CRP, glucose intolerance, and HDL-C are common mediators between adiponectin and atheromatous vascular changes, which are contrary to each other. The exacerbation of atherogenesis may be involved in a decrease of adiponectin through abnormal glyco- and lipid-metabolism by promoting inflammation.