Association of plasma adiponectin levels with oxidative stress in hemodialysis patients

Abstract

Background: Recent evidence suggests that oxidative stress may be an instigator of the metabolic syndrome, and adiponectin, an adipocyte-derived polypeptide, may modulate oxidative stress, ameliorating the atherosclerotic process.

Aim: Oxidative stress is increased in hemodialysis (HD) patients. We hypothesize that a relationship between plasma levels of adiponectin and markers of inflammation and oxidative stress exists.

Methods and results: In 124 HD patients, plasma adiponectin levels and three separate oxidative stress markers, tumor necrosis factor-alpha as well as high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) were determined. Plasma adiponectin was significantly and negatively correlated with serum hsCRP (r = -0.247, p = 0.008) and plasma malondialdehyde (MDA) levels (r = -0.326; p < 0.001). Multiple regression analyses suggested that plasma MDA, serum HDL cholesterol levels and logarithmically transformed hsCRP were the variables independently associated with plasma adiponectin levels.

Conclusion: Plasma adiponectin was significantly associated with plasma MDA, serum HDL cholesterol levels and serum hsCRP levels. Our results suggest the possibility that plasma adiponectin may play a role in alleviating oxidative stress in HD patients.