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 cardio-metabolic 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 significantly higher prevalence of some cardiometabolic comorbidities (obesity, visceral obesity, diabetes and insulin resistance, LVH, metabolic syndrome (MetS), coronary artery syndrome (CAD). BMI (P < 0.0001), WHR (P < 0.03), trigly cerides (P < 0.001), HOMA-IR (P < 0.001), LVM, LVMI, IVST and RWT (P < 0.0001) were significantly higher and HDL-C (P < 0.001) and LVEF were significantly lower in low-ADPN than in 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). Multiple regres- sion analysis indicated that ADPN was independently associated with LVMI. CONCLUSIONS: ADPN might be considered a key component mediating 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.