Increased circulating adiponectin in males with chronic HCV hepatitis

Area of Science:

• Endocrinology
• Hepatology
• Metabolic Syndrome

Background:

• Adiponectin, an insulin-sensitizing adipokine, exhibits sexual dimorphism.
• Elevated adiponectin is observed in chronic hepatitis C (CHC), but studies are limited by small sample sizes and confounding factors.
• Genetic background and hepatic fibrosis severity require control when assessing adiponectin in CHC.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare serum adiponectin levels between CHC patients and precisely matched healthy and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) controls.
• To investigate the influence of age, gender, body mass index, and ADIPOQ genotype on adiponectin levels in CHC.
• To determine if severe liver fibrosis affects adiponectin levels in CHC patients.

Main Methods:

• 184 CHC patients were matched 1:1 for age, gender, BMI, and ADIPOQ genotype with healthy controls.
• A second control group of 95 NAFLD patients with severe fibrosis was matched 1:1 to CHC patients.
• Serum adiponectin was quantified using ELISA, and ADIPOQ genotype was determined by Taqman assays.

Main Results:

• Serum adiponectin was significantly higher in CHC patients compared to both healthy (9.0±5.0 vs 7.3±4.0 μg/ml) and NAFLD controls (8.3±4.5 vs 6.0±4.2 μg/ml).
• Adiponectin levels were significantly elevated in males with CHC versus both control groups.
• No significant difference in adiponectin levels was observed between female CHC patients and controls.

Conclusions:

• Chronic hepatitis C is associated with increased serum adiponectin, independent of key confounders.
• The elevation in adiponectin in CHC is particularly pronounced in males.
• Findings suggest a specific link between CHC and adiponectin dysregulation, especially in males.