Background Clinical trials have shown that adiponectin levels were significantly decreased in patients with severe hypertension, insulin resistance and other cardiovascular disorders eg coronary artery disease. The objective of our study was to evaluate the role of adiponectin in mild and moderate hypertension, and to estimate its relationship with metabolic risk factors in hypertensive patients.
Material and methods The study included 2 groups. Group 1 consisted of 54 untreated persons aged 38 ± 8.5, with mild to moderate essential hypertension; group 2 - 53 healthy subjects aged 38 ± 9.5 with normal blood pressure. Patients with obesity, severe hypertension, organ damage due to hypertension and with other cardiovascular disorders were not included. In both groups antropometric (BMI, body mass index, waist circumference) and biochemical parametres including plasma adiponectin concentration were evaluated. ABPM, echocardiography and renal arteries ultrasound examination were also performed.
Results There was no significant difference in concentration of adiponectin in plasma beetwen hypertensive patients (6.7 ± 3.79 µg/ml) and control group (5.7 ± 2.95 µg/ml). Both hypertensive and normotensive women were characterized by higher plasma adiponectin concentration as compared with respectively hypertensive and normotensive men. In both groups positive correlation between adiponectine and concentration of HDL-cholesterol (p < 0.0001; r = 0.56) was found. In both groups negative correlations between adiponectine plasma concentration and BMI, waist circumference, creatinine and triglicerides concentrations were also found.
Conclusions In our study there was no significant difference between plasma adiponectin concentration. These data may suggest relationship between plasma adiponectin concentration and the development of metabolic abnormalities in patients with mild to moderate hypertension without organ damage or concomitant cardiovascular diseases and metabolic syndrome.