Adiponectin, Free Fatty Acids, and Cardiovascular Outcomes in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes and Acute Coronary Syndrome

• OBJECTIVE In observational cohorts, adiponectin is inversely associated and free fatty acids (FFAs) are directly associated with incident coronary heart disease (CHD). Adiponectin tends to be reduced and FFAs elevated in type 2 diabetes. We investigated relationships of adiponectin and FFA and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) and death in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and type 2 diabetes using data from the AleCardio (Effect of Aleglitazar on Cardiovascular Outcomes After Acute Coronary Syndrome in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus) trial, which compared the PPAR-alpha/gamma agonist aleglitazar with placebo. Using Cox regression adjusted for demographic, laboratory, and treatment variables, we determined associations of baseline adiponectin and FFAs, or the change in adiponectin and FFAs from baseline, with MACEs (cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, or stroke) and death. A twofold higher baseline adiponectin (n = 6,998) was directly associated with risk of MACEs (hazard ratio [HR] 1.17 [95% CI 1.08-1.27]) and death (HR 1.53 [95% CI 1.35-1.73]). A doubling of adiponectin from baseline to month 3 (n = 6,325) was also associated with risk of death (HR 1.20 [95% CI 1.03-1.41]). Baseline FFAs (n = 7,038), but not change in FFAs from baseline (n = 6,365), were directly associated with greater risk of MACEs and death. There were no interactions with study treatment. In contrast to prior observational data for incident CHD, adiponectin is prospectively associated with MACEs and death in patients with type 2 diabetes and ACS, and an increase in adiponectin from baseline is directly related to death. These findings raise the possibility that adiponectin has different effects in patients with type 2 diabetes and ACS than in populations without prevalent cardiovascular disease. Consistent with prior data, FFAs are directly associated with adverse outcomes.

Subject headings

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Endokrinologi och diabetes (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- Endocrinology and Diabetes (hsv//eng)

Keyword

independent risk-factor

ischemic-heart-disease

myocardial-infarction

plasma adiponectin

systemic inflammation

artery-disease

all-cause

mortality

failure

events

Endocrinology & Metabolism

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)