Original Contribution
The American Journal of Gastroenterology (2008) 103, 1959–1965; doi:10.1111/j.1572-0241.2008.01888.x
Plasma Adiponectin Levels in Primary Biliary Cirrhosis: A Novel Perspective for Link Between Hypercholesterolemia and Protection Against Atherosclerosis
Annarosa Floreani MD1, A Variola MD1, G Niro MD2, A Premoli MD3, V Baldo MD4, R Gambino MD3, G Musso MD3, M Cassader MD3, S Bo MD3, F Ferrara MD1, D Caroli MD1, E Rosa Rizzotto MD1 and Marilena Durazzo MD3
- 1Department of Surgical and Gastroenterological Sciences, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
- 2Department of Gastroenterology, Hospital Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza, San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy
- 3Department of Medicine, Ospedale Molinette, Torino, Italy
- 4Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
Correspondence: Annarosa Floreani, Department of Surgical and Gastroenterological Sciences, University of Padova, Via Giustiniani, 2, 35128 Padova, Italy.
Received 29 May 2007; Accepted 19 February 2008.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION:
Hypercholesterolemia is a common finding in primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC), but the risk of cardiovascular events in PBC patients is not increased in respect to the general population. High serum adiponectin levels appear to play a protective role in the development of either metabolic syndrome or cardiovascular disease.
AIM:
To investigate factors potentially preventing atherosclerosis in PBC patients.
METHODS:
Circulating levels of adiponectin, resistin, leptin, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-
) were measured in 137 consecutive PBC patients (125 women, 12 men; mean age 61.6 
12.3 yr), 137 sex- and age-matched healthy controls, and 30 female patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and associated metabolic syndrome.
RESULTS:
The body mass index (BMI) was comparable in the three groups, whereas total cholesterol was significantly higher in both PBC and NASH cases than in controls (221.6 50.5 mg/dL in PBC vs 221.7 39.7 mg/dL in NASH vs 209.8 39.2 mg/dL in controls, P < 0.05). Serum concentrations of adiponectin, resistin, and leptin were significantly higher in PBC patients than in either NASH cases or controls (P < 0.05). Among the PBC patients, only adiponectin correlated positively with histological progression of the disease (P= 0.001) and negatively with BMI (P= 0.01). Logistic regression analysis revealed that adiponectin correlated independently with age, BMI, Mayo score, and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase.
CONCLUSIONS:
The high adiponectin concentrations observed in PBC patients should be regarded as a possible protective factor against atherogenesis. The search for further protective factors should be encouraged.
