Plasma adiponectin is inversely associated with antenatal anxiety: Results from a Brazilian cohort

Antenatal anxiety may increase the risk of undesirable birth outcomes. Studies have demonstrated an association between adiponectin and anxiety, but this issue has not been investigated during pregnancy. This study aimed to evaluate the association between plasma adiponectin, measured throughout gestation, and the occurrence of anxiety at late pregnancy (30-36th weeks). A prospective cohort was investigated in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Healthy pregnant women, aged 20-40 years, were evaluated between gestational weeks 5-13, 22-26 and 30-36. State anxiety was measured using a validated version of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and women were categorized as high (score ≥ 50, n = 30) or low anxiety (score < 50, n = 129). Plasma samples for all trimesters were analyzed using commercial ELISA kits to determine adiponectin concentrations (U/mL). Statistical analysis involved student's t-tests, chi-square, Pearson correlation, multiple logistic regression and linear mixed effects (LME) regression to model longitudinal trends of adiponectin, stratified for anxiety categories. Women with higher anxiety scores had lower mean concentrations of 3rd trimester adiponectin compared with those with lower scores (7.9; 95% CI: 7.0-8.9 vs. 9.9; 95% CI: 9.1-10.7). Women with 3rd trimester adiponectin values within the third tertile (10.47-26.57 U/mL) were less likely to have high antenatal anxiety (adjusted OR = 0.30; 95% CI: 0.09-0.98) compared with those within the first tertile (2.25-7.08 U/mL). Unlike women with low levels of anxiety, those with high levels had a significant decrease of plasma adiponectin throughout pregnancy (β = −0.07; 95% CI: −0.13 − [−0.01] vs. β = −0.01; 95% CI: −0.05 to 0.03). Multiple LME model indicated higher adiponectin throughout pregnancy for women with low anxiety (β = −1.57; 95% CI: −2.78 − [−0.37]). In conclusion, plasma adiponectin throughout pregnancy was inversely associated with antenatal anxiety.