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. 2010 Aug 5;119(10):431-6.
doi: 10.1042/CS20100008.

Significance of serum adiponectin levels in patients with chronic liver disease

Maria Luisa Balmer  1 , Jeannine Joneli, Alain Schoepfer, Felix Stickel, Wolfgang Thormann, Jean-François Dufour
Affiliations

Significance of serum adiponectin levels in patients with chronic liver disease

Maria Luisa Balmer et al. Clin Sci (Lond). .

Abstract

Adiponectin, which plays a pivotal role in metabolic liver diseases, is reduced in concentration in patients with NASH (non-alcoholic steatohepatitis). The aim of the present study was to determine adiponectin concentrations in patients with different forms and stages of chronic liver diseases. Serum adiponectin concentrations were measured in 232 fasting patients with chronic liver disease: 64 with NAFLD (non-alcoholic fatty liver disease), 123 with other chronic liver disease (e.g. viral hepatitis, n=71; autoimmune disease, n=18; alcohol-induced liver disease, n=3; or elevated liver enzymes of unknown origin, n=31) and 45 with cirrhosis. Circulating adiponectin levels were significantly lower in patients with NAFLD in comparison with patients with other chronic liver disease (4.8+/-3.5 compared with 10.4+/-6.3 microg/ml respectively; P<0.0001). Circulating adiponectin levels were significantly higher in patients with cirrhosis in comparison with patients without cirrhosis (18.6+/-14.5 compared with 8.4+/-6.1 microg/ml respectively; P<0.0001). Adiponectin concentrations correlated negatively with body weight (P<0.001), serum triacylglycerols (triglycerides) (P<0.001) and, in women, with BMI (body mass index) (P<0.001). Adiponectin concentrations correlated positively with serum bile acids (P<0.001), serum hyaluronic acid (P<0.001) and elastography values (P<0.001). Adiponectin levels were decreased in patients with NAFLD. In conclusion, adiponectin levels correlate positively with surrogate markers of hepatic fibrosis (transient elastography, fasting serum bile acids and hyaluronate) and are significantly elevated in cases of cirrhosis.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Adiponectin levels in the study groups
Adiponectin levels were significantly increased in patients with liver cirrhosis compared with patients without cirrhosis (non-cirrhosis) (A), whereas they were decreased in patients with NAFLD (B). Serum adiponectin levels are presented as means+S.D. *P<0.001 as determined by ANCOVA with adjustment for age, gender and BMI.
Figure 2
Figure 2. Correlation of serum adiponectin with bile acids, hyaluronate and elastography
Serum adiponectin levels were significantly correlated with bile acids, hyaluronate and elastography. Patients from all groups were considered together.
Figure 3
Figure 3. Correlation of serum adiponectin with body weight and TG
Serum adiponectin significantly correlates with body weight and serum TG (triglyceride) levels. Patients of all groups were considered together.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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