Adiponectin and atherosclerosis in rheumatoid arthritis.

Patrick H Dessein,Linda Tsang,Gavin R Norton,Aletta M E Millen,Angela J Woodiwiss,Ahmed Solomon

doi:10.1155/2014/358949

Abstract

In the present study, we examined the potential impact of adiponectin on carotid ultrasound determined atherosclerosis in 210 (119 black and 91 white) RA patients in mixed regression models. Total adiponectin concentrations were smaller in patients with compared to those without the metabolic syndrome (MetS) defined waist criterion (median (range) = 6.47 (1.23–34.54) versus 8.38 (0.82–85.30) ng/mL, P = 0.02, resp.); both total and high molecular weight (HMW) adiponectin concentrations were larger in patients with compared to those without joint deformities (7.97 (0.82–85.30) and 3.51 (0.01–35.40) versus 5.36 (1.29–19.49) and 2.34 (0.01–19.49) ng/mL, P = 0.003 and 0.02, resp.). Total and HMW adiponectin concentrations were associated with carotid artery plaque in patients with MetS waist (odds ratio (95% CI) = 0.87 (0.76–0.99) and 0.92 (0.85–0.99) per 1-standard deviation increment, P = 0.02 for both) and those without joint deformities (odds ratio (95% CI) = 0.94 (0.88–0.99) and 0.94 (0.89–0.99), P = 0.03 for both). Plaque prevalence was lower in patients without compared to those with joint deformities (23.4% versus 42.6, P = 0.004 in multivariable analysis). In RA patients with abdominal obesity or no clinically evident joint damage, adiponectin concentrations are reduced but nevertheless associated with decreased carotid atherosclerosis.

Highlights

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) increases the risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (CVD) to a similar extent as diabetes [1,2,3]
Total adiponectin concentrations were smaller in patients with compared to those without the metabolic syndrome (MetS) defined waist criterion (median = 6.47 (1.23–34.54) versus 8.38 (0.82–85.30) ng/mL, P = 0.02, resp.); both total and high molecular weight (HMW) adiponectin concentrations were larger in patients with compared to those without joint deformities (7.97 (0.82–85.30) and 3.51 (0.01–35.40) versus 5.36 (1.29–19.49) and 2.34 (0.01–19.49) ng/mL, P = 0.003 and 0.02, resp.)
With regard to direct effects of adiponectin on atherogenesis, we recently reported a cardiovascular risk factor independent direct relationship between adiponectin concentrations and early endothelial activation in white patients with RA [25]

Summary

Introduction

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) increases the risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (CVD) to a similar extent as diabetes [1,2,3]. There is a need for identifying novel biomarkers of enhanced cardiovascular risk in RA [5, 6]. Adiponectin is an adipo(cyto)kine that was identified in 1999 [7]. Numerous studies have documented that adiponectin exerts antidiabetic and vasculoprotective effects [8,9,10,11,12,13,14]. Amongst the different adiponectin isoforms, highmolecular weight adiponectin protects against the development of diabetes [15] and CVD [16]

Methods

Results

Conclusion