Serum Levels of Chemerin, Apelin, and Adiponectin in Relation to Clinical Symptoms, Quality of Life, and Psychological Factors in Irritable Bowel Syndrome.

Background: Adipokines have endocrine roles in metabolism and immunity. Dysregulation of adipokine levels is associated with several diseases with chronic inflammation. We aimed to assess the serum concentrations of chemerin, apelin, and adiponectin in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Furthermore, we evaluated the possible association of these adipokines with clinical symptoms, quality of life (QoL), and psychological factors.

Materials And Methods: In this case-control study, 114 male and female IBS patients were recruited from outpatient clinics. Along with the IBS patients, 114 sex and age-matched healthy volunteers were recruited. Patients filled in the questionnaires of the IBS severity scoring system (IBSSS), gastrointestinal (GI) and somatic symptoms, IBS specific QoL (IBS-QoL), and psychological disorders, and went to the lab for blood sampling.

Results: Serum levels of both adiponectin and apelin were significantly (P=0.04, 0.03, respectively) lower, whereas chemerin was significantly (P=0.01) higher in IBS patients. Chemerin was higher in IBS-D compared with both IBS-C and IBS-A, while apelin and adiponectin were not different between subtypes. After adjustments for confounders only, chemerin had a positive association with IB severity scoring system and GI symptoms. Furthermore, chemerin had positive associations, whereas apelin and adiponectin had inverse associations with somatic symptoms and psychological factors. There were no significant associations between adipokines including chemerin, apelin, and adiponectin, and IBS-QoL.

Conclusions: Chemerin had significant associations with both the severity of clinical symptoms and psychological factors in IBS; thus, it could be considered as a potential therapeutic target in these patients; however, further studies are needed.