High plasma adiponectin levels in patients with severe traumatic brain injury.

Background: Adiponectin plays an important role in the regulation of tissue inflammation. There is a paucity of data on circulating plasma adiponectin concentrations in human traumatic brain injury. This study is designed to investigate the potential associations between plasma adiponectin levels and clinical outcomes after traumatic brain injury.

Methods: Plasma adiponectin levels of 86 patients with severe traumatic brain injury and 86 healthy subjects were determined. Clinical outcomes included in-hospital mortality, 6-month mortality and 6-month unfavorable outcome (Glasgow Outcome Scale score of 1-3).

Results: Plasma adiponectin levels were significantly higher in patients compared to controls (20.5±5.9 vs. 7.7±2.0μg/ml; P<0.001) and emerged as an independent predictor of in-hospital mortality [odds ratio (OR), 1.318; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.049-1.629; P=0.008], 6-month mortality (OR, 1.328; 95% CI, 1.082-1.657; P=0.007) and 6-month unfavorable outcome (OR, 1.240; 95% CI, 1.066-1.443; P=0.005) in a multivariate analysis. For predicting these clinical outcomes, areas under receiver operating characteristic curve of plasma adiponectin level were similar to those of Glasgow Coma scale scores (all P>0.05). However, adiponectin did not improve predictive values of Glasgow Coma scale scores (all P>0.05).

Conclusion: Plasma adiponectin level may represent a novel biomarker for predicting clinical outcomes of traumatic brain injury.