Adiponectin is an adipocyte specific cytokine which, in contrast to other adipokines, has been described to have antiinflammatory, antithrombotic, and anti-atherogenic properties. This study evaluates the association between plasma adiponectin levels with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and angiographic coronary lesion severity in Indian population. Ninety patients included in the study were divided in two groups in 1？:？1 ratio—patients admitted with a diagnosis of ACS and those without ACS. Adiponectin and other risk markers are measured in forty-five consecutive patients in each group undergoing coronary angiography. Patients without ACS were found to have higher adiponectin ( ？μg/mL) levels than patients with ACS ( ？μg/mL) ( ). In multiple regression analysis adjusted for all other risk markers, higher adiponectin levels remain positively associated with a lower risk of ACS ( value > 0.002). The greatest increase in risk for ACS was seen at adiponectin levels ≤12.20？μg/mL in study subjects. The adiponectin levels were inversely related to the angiographic severity of coronary artery stenosis increases ( value > 0.02). The study concluded that higher adiponectin levels are independently associated with lower risk of ACS, and patients with severe angiographic coronary artery disease have lower levels of adiponectin. 1. Introduction Obesity is pandemic in industrialized and south Asian countries and has been implicated as a major cause of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality [1–4]. Adipose tissue may play an important role in mediating the chronic inflammatory process implicated in atherosclerosis and coronary artery disease. Adipocyte has an active endocrine function, as it produces several cytokines: interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and adiponectin that is a 30？kDa adipocyte complement-related protein. These cytokines may directly contribute to the development of obesity-related diseases, such as diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, hypertension, and atherosclerotic vascular disease [5, 6]. Adiponectin is an adipocyte specific cytokine which, in contrast to other adipokines, has been described to have antiinflammatory, antithrombotic, and anti-atherogenic properties [7–10]. It is abundant in the plasma of normal subjects, but it decreased in conditions such as obesity [11] and type-2 diabetes mellitus [12]. In healthy individuals, low plasma adiponectin levels have been associated with increased risk of cardiovascular events [13]. Therefore, it is suggested that low adiponectin levels may contribute to coronary plaque vulnerability.
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