Resistin is associated with the inflammation process in patients with systemic autoimmune diseases undergoing glucocorticoid therapy: comparison with leptin and adiponectin.

Objectives: We investigated the role of adipokines in patients with systemic autoimmune diseases who received glucocorticoid therapy.

Methods: Fifty-two patients with systemic autoimmune diseases who had started glucocorticoid therapy were prospectively enrolled. One hundred forty healthy persons were also studied as controls. Serum levels of 3 adipokines [resistin, leptin, and high molecular weight (HMW)-adiponectin] were measured with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits before and at weekly intervals for 4 weeks during glucocorticoid therapy. The effects of lipopolysaccharide and dexamethasone on adipokine expression in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were also examined.

Results: The serum resistin level was significantly higher in patients than in controls before glucocorticoid therapy, and it decreased after glucocorticoid therapy. Consistent with these results, dexamethasone inhibited lipopolysaccharide-induced upregulation of resistin expression in PBMCs in vitro. Serum leptin and HMW-adiponectin levels were lower in the patients than in the controls at baseline, and both adipokine levels were increased after glucocorticoid therapy. There was a significant correlation between serum resistin and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein. However, there was no association between serum adipokines and intima-media thickness.

Conclusion: Resistin may be associated with the inflammatory process but not atherosclerosis in patients with systemic autoimmune diseases.