Plasma adiponectin is associated with plasma brain natriuretic peptide and cardiac function in healthy subjects

The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between the plasma adiponectin level, plasma brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) level, and cardiac function in healthy subjects. We obtained clinical data and performed blood tests, including measurement of the plasma adiponectin and BNP levels, in 1,538 healthy persons from Arita-cho, a rural area of Japan. Six hundred and eight subjects also underwent echocardiography. There was a significant positive correlation between their plasma BNP and adiponectin levels in simple regression analysis (standardized regression coefficient [beta] = 0.34). Multivariate regression analysis revealed that the plasma adiponectin level was independently associated with the plasma BNP level (beta = 0.12), as well as with the age (beta = 0.22), male gender (beta = -0.26), waist circumference (beta = -0.16), and the plasma levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (beta = 0.13), triglycerides (beta = -0.16), aspartate aminotransferase (beta = 0.08), gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (beta = -0.10), uric acid (beta = -0.07), and creatinine (beta = 0.08). We also found a link between plasma adiponectin and the left atrial diameter index (beta = 0.08) or left ventricular diameter index (beta = 0.11), even after adjustment for age, sex, and body mass index. The plasma adiponectin level increased along with an increase of plasma BNP in healthy subjects independently of other confounding factors, demonstrating that adiponectin reflects cardiac function.