Endothelial Dysfunction in Chronic Kidney Disease: The Role of Adiponectin and Inflammation

Aim: Endothelial dysfunction and inflammation are among the leading causes of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in chronic kidney disease (CKD). Adiponectin is an anti-inflammatory protein. There is no data about the relation between adiponectin, hsCRP and endothelial function in CKD. We aimed to investigate the relation between plasma adiponectin, hsCRP levels and endothelial dysfunction in CKD. Materials and Methods: One hundred patients with CKD were studied. Patients were divided into 5 groups according to their GFR as assesed by K/DOOl guidelines. Twenty-five healthy subjects were studied as controls. Venous samples were obtained from all subjects and taken for adiponectin and hsCRP levels in addition to detailed metabolic panel. Endothelial function was assessed from all subjects by FMD and NMD. Results: Plasma adiponectin levels of stage 1 CKD group were similar to those of the controls, while other groups had significantly higher values (p<0.001). Additionally, hsCRP levels were significantly increased in all stages of CKD. Endothelial dysfunction as assessed by FMD levels were significantly decreased in all stages. The higher the stage of CKD, the lower the levels of FMD. Discussion: The results show that both plasma adiponectin and hsCRP levels are associated with endothelial dysfunction in CKD patients.