Association between serum adiponectin levels and arteriolosclerosis in IgA nephropathy patients.

OBJECTIVE

Adiponectin has attracted great attention because of its anti-atherogenic properties; however, to date the relationship between serum adiponectin and arteriolosclerosis has not been reported. In our study, we aimed to examine whether or not serum adiponectin levels are associated with arteriolosclerosis in patients with IgA nephropathy which is the most common form of chronic glomerulonephritis.

METHODS

We enrolled 35 patients aged 35.0+/-14.6, who underwent renal biopsy from August 2004 to February 2006 in our hospital, and were confirmed to have IgA nephropathy. We examined serum adiponectin, high-sensitive C-reactive protein, total cholesterol and triglyceride level, urinary protein excretion, body mass index (BMI), and the presence of arteriolosclerosis in the renal specimens. Since the serum adiponectin level is strongly affected by renal function, we classified the patients by creatinine clearance.

RESULTS

Multiple regression analysis showed the associations of adiponectin with creatinine clearance (p<0.001), BMI (p<0.001), serum triglyceride (p=0.001) and urinary protein excretion (p=0.001). We observed a positive relation of adiponectin with urinary protein excretion and an inverse relation of adiponectin with creatinine clearance, serum triglyceride, and BMI. We could not detect any relation between the presence of arteriolosclerosis and adiponectin in the IgA nephropathy patients as a whole; however, in patients whose creatinine clearance was 90-120 ml/min/1.73 m2, the serum adiponectin level of patients with arteriolosclerosis was lower than in those without arteriolosclerosis (p=0.025).

CONCLUSIONS

The serum level of adiponectin was related to arteriolosclerosis in IgA nephropathy patients whose renal function was almost normal. Adiponectin may prevent renal arteriolosclerosis.