Positive association of adiponectin with soluble thrombomodulin, von Willebrand factor and soluble VCAM-1 in dyslipidemic subjects

•Many atheroprotective properties of adiponectin were described.•Despite this increased risk of mortality was found with high adiponectin levels.•We have found positive association of adiponectin with vWF, sTM and sVCAM-1.•This might predispose to high mortality risk associated with high adiponectin levels.

ObjectivesBoth decreased and increased risk of cardiovascular events/mortality have been reported with high adiponectin levels. Only a few studies have reported an association of adiponectin with markers of hemostasis/endothelial dysfunction which might explain the reported discrepancies.Design and methodsWe evaluated the association of total adiponectin with von Willebrand factor (vWF), plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA), soluble thrombomodulin (sTM), adhesion molecules sICAM-1 and sVCAM-1, lipids and markers of insulin resistance (IR) in 308 asymptomatic dyslipidemic subjects and healthy controls. Subjects were divided into 4 dyslipidemic phenotypes (DLP): DLP1 (TG < 1.5 mmol/L + ApoB < 1.2 g/L), DLP2 (TG ≥ 1.5 + ApoB < 1.2), DLP3 (TG < 1.5 + ApoB ≥ 1.2) and DLP4 (TG ≥ 1.5 + ApoB ≥ 1.2). The results were evaluated also according to the presence (+) and absence (−) of metabolic syndrome (MS).ResultsIn hyperlipidemic subjects (DLP2–4), PAI-1, t-PA and sICAM-1 correlated with markers of IR but only t-PA correlated inversely with adiponectin. In contrast positive association of adiponectin with vWF, sTM and sVCAM-1 was found but none of these parameters correlated with markers of insulin resistance. In multiple regression analysis, adiponectin remained independently associated with vWF [in DLP3, DLP4, DLP2–4, MS(−)], with sTM [in DLP2, DLP4, DLP2–4, MS(+)] and with sVCAM-1 [in DLP2, DLP3, DLP4, DLP2–4, MS(+)]. In healthy controls (DLP1), no association between adiponectin and markers of hemostasis/endothelial dysfunction was found.ConclusionThe independent positive association of adiponectin with vWF, sTM and sVCAM-1 deserves further evaluation in connection with the risk of atherothrombotic cardiovascular events.