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Abstract: Objective: Serum adiponectin protects against incident ischemic heart disease (IHD). However, in patients with existing IHD, higher adiponectin levels are paradoxically associated with worse outcomes. We investigated this paradox by evaluating the relationship between adiponectin and cardiovascular events in patients with existing IHD. Methods: We measured total serum adiponectin and cardiac disease severity by stress echocardiography in 981 outpatients with stable IHD who were recruited for the Heart and Soul Study between September 2000 and December 2002. Subsequent heart failure hospitalizations, myocardial infarction, and death were recorded. Results: During an average of 7.1 years of follow-up, patients with adiponectin levels in the highest quartile were more likely than those in the lowest quartile to be hospitalized for heart failure (23% vs. 13%; demographics-adjusted hazard ratio (HR) 1.63, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.04–2.56, p =0.03) or die (49% vs. 31%; HR 1.67, 95% CI 1.24–2.26, p <0.008), but not more likely to have a myocardial infarction (12% vs. 17%; HR 0.64, 95% CI 0.38–1.06, p =0.08). The combined outcome of myocardial infarction, heart failure, or death occurred in 56% (136/245) of participants in the highest quartile of adiponectin vs. 38% (94/246) of participants in the lowest quartile (HR 1.54, 95% CI 1.31–2.21, p <0.002). Adjustment for left ventricular ejection fraction, diastolic dysfunction, inducible ischemia, C-reactive protein, and NT-proBNP attenuated the association between higher adiponectin and increased risk of subsequent events (HR 1.43, 95% CI 0.98–2.09, p =0.06). Conclusions: Higher concentrations of adiponectin were associated with heart failure and mortality among patients with existing IHD. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Objective: Elevated concentrations of adiponectin are associated with a favorable metabolic profile but also with adverse cardiovascular outcomes. This apparent discrepancy has raised questions about whether adiponectin is associated with an increased or decreased risk of coronary heart disease (CHD). We sought to determine whether higher adiponectin levels are associated with exercise-induced ischemia in patients with stable CHD. Methods and results: We measured total serum adiponectin concentrations and evaluated exercise-induced ischemia by stress echocardiography in a cross-sectional study of 899 outpatients with documented stable CHD. Of these, 217 (24%) had inducible ischemia. Although adiponectin levels correlated negatively with diabetes prevalence, body mass index, serum insulin, fasting glucose, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and triglycerides and positively with high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (all P <0.005), elevated adiponectin concentrations were also associated with a greater risk of inducible ischemia. Each standard deviation (0.08μg/mL) increase in log adiponectin was associated with a 35% greater odds of inducible ischemia (unadjusted odds ratio 1.35; 95% confidence interval 1.15–1.57; P =0.0002). Although attenuated, this association remained present after multivariable adjustment for traditional cardiovascular risk factors and other measures of cardiac function (adjusted odds ratio 1.21; 95% confidence interval 1.02–1.43; P =0.03). Conclusions: Elevated concentrations of adiponectin are independently associated with inducible ischemia in patients with stable CHD. These findings raise the possibility that the presence of chronic inducible ischemia may alter the cardio-protective effects afforded by adiponectin secretion in the healthy population. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Objective: Leptin is an adipokine with both protective and harmful effects on the cardiovascular (CV) system. Prior studies evaluating the association between leptin and CV outcomes have yielded conflicting results. Thus, we sought to investigate the relationship between leptin and CV events and mortality in patients with chronic stable coronary artery disease (CAD). Methods: We performed a prospective cohort study of 981 outpatients with stable CAD. Leptin levels were measured in fasting venous samples at baseline. We used proportional hazards models to evaluate the association of baseline leptin with subsequent CV events (myocardial infarction, stroke, transient ischemic attack) and death. Results: During a mean follow-up of 6.2±2.1 years, there were 304 deaths, 112 myocardial infarctions, and 52 strokes/TIAs. In models adjusted for age, sex, and race, low leptin was associated with a 30% increased risk of the combined outcome (HR 1.30, CI 1.05–1.59, p =0.01). After further adjustment for obesity, traditional CV risk factors and biomarkers, low leptin remained associated with a 37% increased risk of events (HR 1.37, CI 1.06–1.76, p =0.02). Conclusions: Low leptin is associated with increased CV events and mortality in patients with stable coronary artery disease. This association is independent of known factors affecting leptin levels, including gender and obesity. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]