Background: Adiponectin is a fat-derived hormone produced and secreted exclusively by adipocytes that have anti-atherosclerotic effects. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between fasting serum adiponectin levels and arterial stiffness among kidney transplant (KT) patients.
Methods: Fasting blood samples were obtained from 69 KT patients. Brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) was measured in the right or left brachial artery to the ankle segments using an automatic pulse wave analyzer. Plasma adiponectin levels were measured using a commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit. Left or right baPWV values of >14.0 m/s were used to define the high arterial stiffness group.
Results: Thirty-five KT patients (35/69; 50.7 %) were defined in high arterial stiffness group. Diabetes (P = 0.013), smoking (P = 0.001), KT duration (P < 0.001), body weight (P = 0.013), waist circumference (P = 0.013), body mass index (P = 0.001), fasting glucose (P = 0.013), systolic blood pressure (P < 0.001), diastolic blood pressure (P = 0.008), and pulse pressure (P = 0.003) were higher, while serum adiponectin level (P = 0.004) was lower in high arterial stiffness group compared with low arterial stiffness group. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that adiponectin (odds ratio 0.90, 95 % confidence interval 0.81-0.99, P = 0.034) was still the independent predictors of arterial stiffness among the KT patients.
Conclusion: Serum fasting adiponectin level was inversely associated with arterial stiffness among KT patients.
Keywords: Adiponectin; Arterial stiffness; Brachial–ankle pulse wave velocity; Kidney transplantation.