Body mass index is related to microvascular vasomotion, this is partly explained by adiponectin.

Objective: obesity-related microvascular dysfunction, including alterations in rhythmic changes in vascular diameter, so-called 'vasomotion', may be important in the clustering of obesity with other cardiovascular risk factors. Adipokines have been suggested to play a role in obesity-related vascular dysfunction. Alterations in vasomotion have been found using extreme body mass index (BMI) phenotypes. Whether these alterations can be translated to the general population is unknown. The aim was to retrospectively investigate relationships between BMI, vasomotion and adipokines in a population-based cohort.

Methods: Adiposity, vasomotion, adiponectin and leptin were determined in 94 apparently healthy participants (age 42 years, 46 men, mean BMI 25·5 ± 3·8 kg/m(2) ) of the Amsterdam Growth and Health Longitudinal Study (AGHLS). Vasomotion was assessed via wavelet analysis of skin laser Doppler flowmetry (LDF).

Results: BMI was associated with the neurogenic domain of the vasomotion spectrum (β -0·011, P = 0·046), adiponectin (β -0·18, P = 0·028) and leptin (β 2·22, P < 0·0001). Adiponectin was positively associated with the neurogenic domain of vasomotion (β 0·016, P = 0·019). Leptin did not show any significant relationship with vasomotion. The association between BMI and the neurogenic domain of the vasomotion spectrum was partly explained by adiponectin.

Conclusions: The association between adiposity and microvascular vasomotion also applies to the normal population and is partly explained by adiponectin.