Circulating adiponectin: a cardiometabolic marker associated with global cardiovascular risk

OBJECTIVE This study was designed to evaluate the relationship among circulating adiponectin (ADPN), left ventricular mass (LVM) and cardiometabolic comorbidities in subjects at higher global cardiovascular risk (score of “ Cuore Project “) METHODS. 115 consecutive subjects were grouped according to normal or low ADPN levels. Left ventricular internal diameter (LVID/h), total LV mass (LVM), LVM index (LVMI), relative wall thickness (RWT), LV ejection fraction by echocardiography and diastolic parameters, by pulsed-wave Doppler were calculated. RESULTS Low-ADPN subjects were characterized by a significant higher prevalence of some cardiometabolic comorbidities (obesity, visceral obesity, diabetes and insulin resistance, LVH, Metabolic syndrome ( MetS),CAD). BMI (p<0.0001), WHR (p<0.03), triglycerides (p<0,001), HOMA-IR (p<0.001), LVM, LVMI, IVST and RWT (p< 0.0001) were significantly increased and HDL-C (p<0.001) and LVEF were significantly reduced in low-ADPN than normal-ADPN subjects. LVMI correlated directly with BMI (p<0.001), WHR (p<0.001) MBP (p<0.001), MetS (p<0.001) and inversely with ADPN ( p<0.0001). Mutiple regression analysis indicated that ADPN was independently associated to LVMI. CONCLUSIONS ADPN might be considered a key component that mediates the cross-talk between adipose tissue, cardiac cells and the vasculature. Accordingly, its routine measurement might become a new target in the management of global CV risk .