Adiponectin and progression of arterial stiffness in hypertensive patients.

Background: Recent studies suggest that adiposity is associated with arterial stiffness. However, it is unclear which adipokine or what adiposity related parameters are related with the progression of arterial stiffness. We hypothesized that in hypertensive patients, initial levels of adipokines such as adiponectin and resistin are related to the progression of arterial stiffness, which has been proven to be associated with increased risk of cardiovascular events.

Methods: One hundred forty one consecutive patients with treated essential hypertension (81 men, 57.7±8.2 years) were enrolled. Pulse wave velocity (PWV) was measured at baseline, and after 24 months. Clinical variables and laboratory findings at the time of initial enrollment were analyzed to reveal the determinants of arterial stiffening.

Results: Mean heart to femoral PWV (hfPWV) was 992±202 cm/s at baseline, and 1021±263 cm/s at 24 months follow up. hfPWV progressed in seventy two patients (51.1%) during follow up period. In patients with hfPWV progression, mean plasma adiponectin level was significantly lower than patients with nonprogression (progressor: 5.18±3.21 μg/ml, non-progressor: 7.02±5.19 μg/ml, p=0.013). Multivariate regression analysis revealed plasma adiponectin level to being an independent predictor of hfPWV changes (ß=-0.018, p=0.032) when controlled for age, gender, SBP changes, BP control and HOMA.

Conclusions: Plasma adiponectin levels are associated with progression of arterial stiffness in hypertensive patients. These findings may be one explanation for the high association between adiposity and arterial stiffness in hypertensive patients.