Vaspin levels are significantly higher in women, and gender is an independent predictor of circulating vaspin in both control and CD patients. In addition, age independently predicts vaspin in control patients, whereas GFR and CRP are independently associated with this adipokine in CD patients. In contrast, circulating vaspin is not independently associated with markers of glucose and lipid metabolism.

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We show that maternal visfatin levels are significantly increased in PE patients. Furthermore, insulin sensitivity and inflammatory status independently predict serum visfatin levels.

OBJECTIVE -Retinol-binding protein (RBP)-4 was recently identified as an adipokine that induces insulin resistance. In the current study, we investigated RBP-4 serum levels in diabetic and nondiabetic patients on chronic hemodialysis (CD) compared with control subjects with a glomerular filtration rate Ͼ50 ml/min. The majority of the diabetic subjects used oral hypoglycemic agents or insulin.RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS -RBP-4 was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in control subjects (n ϭ 59) and CD patients (n ϭ 58) and correlated with clinical and biochemical measures of renal function, glucose and lipid metabolism, and inflammation in both groups.RESULTS -Mean serum RBP-4 levels were almost fourfold higher in CD patients (102 Ϯ 30 mg/l) compared with control subjects (28 Ϯ 8 mg/l). Furthermore, serum creatinine independently predicted RBP-4 concentrations in multiple regression analyses in both control subjects and CD patients. In addition, C-reactive protein and systolic blood pressure independently and negatively correlated with RBP-4 serum concentrations in CD patients but not control subjects. In contrast, markers of glucose and lipid metabolism were not independently related to serum RBP-4 in control subjects or CD patients.CONCLUSIONS -We show that markers of renal function are independently related to serum RBP-4 levels.

Objective: Preeclampsia (PE) is a serious cardiovascular complication in pregnancy which is associated with an increased future metabolic and cardiovascular risk for mother and newborn. Recently, a paradoxical upregulation of the insulin-sensitizing and anti-atherogenic adipokine adiponectin has been shown in PE. Furthermore, high-molecular-weight (HMW) adiponectin has been suggested as the biologically active form of this adipokine. Design and methods: HMW adiponectin and total adiponectin serum concentrations were quantified by ELISA in PE (nZ16) patients and pregnant control women without PE (nZ20). Furthermore, HMW adiponectin and total adiponectin were correlated to clinical and biochemical measures of renal function, glucose, and lipid metabolism, as well as inflammation. Results: Median maternal HMW adiponectin and total adiponectin levels were significantly and independently upregulated almost twofold in PE when compared with controls. HMW adiponectin and total adiponectin correlated positively with creatinine and negatively with fasting insulin in univariate and multivariate analyses. Conclusions: We show that maternal HMW adiponectin and total adiponectin serum concentrations are significantly increased in PE and are positively associated with markers of insulin sensitivity and renal dysfunction. Adiponectin might be part of a physiological feedback mechanism improving insulin sensitivity and cardiovascular health in PE.