Adiponectin level and left ventricular hypertrophy in Japanese men

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Endocrinology
• Metabolic Syndrome

Background:

• Adiponectin is an adipokine with known cardioprotective effects.
• Previous research in mice suggests adiponectin inhibits hypertrophic signaling in the heart.
• A decrease in blood adiponectin levels may contribute to cardiac muscle hypertrophy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between serum adiponectin levels and electrocardiographically diagnosed left ventricular hypertrophy (ECG-LVH).
• To examine this association in a population of Japanese male workers without hypertension medication.

Main Methods:

• Epidemiological study involving 2839 Japanese male workers.
• ECG-LVH defined by Sokolow-Lyon voltage criteria and/or Cornell voltage-duration product.
• Multivariate logistic regression analysis adjusting for confounding factors (age, BMI, blood pressure, lipids, insulin resistance).

Main Results:

• The prevalence of ECG-LVH was 16.7%.
• Subjects in the lowest adiponectin tertile had a significantly higher prevalence of ECG-LVH compared to the highest tertile (OR 1.50).
• This inverse association remained significant after adjusting for multiple confounding factors (OR 1.68, P<0.001).

Conclusions:

• Serum adiponectin concentration is inversely and independently associated with ECG-LVH in Japanese men.
• Lower adiponectin levels may be a risk factor for developing left ventricular hypertrophy.
• Adiponectin's role in preventing cardiac hypertrophy warrants further investigation.