Association between plasma high-molecular-weight adiponectin and coronary plaque characteristics assessed by computed tomography angiography in conditions of visceral adipose accumulation.

BACKGROUND Our group has previously reported that visceral adipose tissue (VAT) accumulation was associated with the extent and vulnerable characteristics of coronary plaques using coronary computed tomography angiography (CTA). An investigation of the associations between these coronary lesions with plasma adiponectin and leptin was performed. METHODS AND RESULTS A total of 394 patients (220 men and 174 women) in the study were referred for CTA. Plain abdominal scanning was simultaneously performed to evaluate VAT areas. The median level of plasma high-molecular-weight (HMW) adiponectin in patients with CTA-based obstructive coronary artery disease was significantly lower than that in patients without (men: 1.45 vs. 1.88 µg/ml, P=0.002; women: 2.49 vs. 3.44 µg/ml, P<0.001). Multivariate analyses revealed that a lower HMW adiponectin concentration was significantly associated with the presence (men: P=0.019; women: P=0.018) and involved segment numbers (men: P=0.001; women: P=0.003) of coronary plaques. Furthermore, it was significantly related to coronary plaque with all 3 vulnerable characteristics of positive remodeling, low CT density (≤38 Hounsfield units), and adjacent spotty calcium (men: P=0.019; women: P=0.016). These associations were also observed with VAT areas, but not with plasma leptin concentrations, in both genders. CONCLUSIONS Lower plasma HMW adiponectin is associated with the presence, extent, and vulnerable characteristics of coronary plaques assessed by CTA in both genders.