High stable serum adiponectin levels are associated with a better outcome in prevalent dialysis patients.

AIMS: Our aim was to evaluate the prognostic value of 2 measurements of serum adiponectin levels for all-cause mortality and cardiovascular (CV) mortality in uremic patients. METHODS: We analyzed 184 patients (19-86 years) undergoing peritoneal dialysis (n = 86) or hemodialysis (n = 98). All patients had 2 measurements of serum adiponectin levels (at baseline and after 1 year). Relationships between adiponectin and mortality were studied by means of survival analysis and Cox regression analysis. RESULTS: During a median follow-up time of 31.2 months, 67 patients (36.4%) died, 26 (14.1%) as a result of CV disease. Mean survival time for CV mortality in patients with 1-year adiponectin values in the upper tertile was significantly higher than that found in patients in the middle and lower tertiles. Hazard ratios (HR) for all-cause mortality per SD change were 0.70 (95% CI, 0.50-0.98; p < 0.05) for baseline adiponectin levels and 0.68 (0.49-0.95; p < 0.05) for mean baseline and 1-year adiponectin levels. Mean adiponectin levels were also negatively related with CV mortality [HR 0.43 (0.21-0.86); p < 0.05] and CV events [HR 0.74 (0.55-0.99); p < 0.05]. CONCLUSIONS: In this population of dialysis patients, adiponectin seems to behave as a CV protective factor. Patients with high mean adiponectin levels had a better survival rate.