The evaluation of relationship between adiponectin levels and epicardial adipose tissue thickness with low cardiac risk in Gilbert`s syndrome: an observational study

Abstract

Objective: Atherosclerotic heart diseases are less frequently seen in patients with Gilbert's syndrome (GS). We aimed to investigate whether serum adiponectin (APN) and epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) thickness have an effect beside the antioxidant effect of bilirubin in lowering the incidence of the atherosclerotic process. Methods: Sixty-eight patients diagnosed with GS (39 females and 29 males) who had applied at the internal medicine clinic of the hospital were included in this cross-sectional, observational study. The control group included 63 healthy people (39 females and 24 males). EAT thickness was measured by echocardiography. The serum APN levels were also checked. Statistical analysis was performed by using independent sample t-test, Pearson correlation and linear regression analyses. Results: The mean age of the GS group was 28±9 years, and the average EAT thickness was found to be 2.5±0.1 mm. The mean age of the control group was 26±6 years, and the average EAT thickness was found to be 4.2±0.5 mm. When comparing the two groups, the EAT thickness of the GS group was found to be significantly lower (p<0.001) than that of the control group. In the GS group the APN was 14.9±4.2 mg/L, and in the control group the APN was 12.6±4.5 mg/L (p<0.022). We found that total bilirubin (β=-1,607, p<0,001) and indirect bilirubin (β=1,086, p<0,001) have an independent association with decreased EAT thickness. Conclusion: EAT thickness is associated with coronary atherosclerosis. Low EAT thickness may be related with low release of proinflammatory cytokine. High levels of APN may be related high anti-inflammatory effect. Therefore, low EAT thickness and high levels of APN may demonstrate protective effect on atherosclerotic heart diseases in GS patients. (

Looking to the horizon: the role of bilirubin in the development and prevention of age-related chronic diseases

“…Elevated bilirubin is associated with improved insulin sensitivity [126], decreased insulin resistance [127] and increased levels of adiponectin [128], which is an insulin-sensitizing agent [129]. Increased concentrations of adiponectin were also observed in patients with GS who possess less epicardial adipose tissue (a marker of coronary atherosclerosis), when compared with normobilirubinaemic individuals [130].…”

Biliverdin reductase isozymes in metabolism

“…This correlated with the observation that obese patients with elevated insulin and visceral adiposity have decreased levels of plasma total bilirubin (31). Patients with elevated plasma bilirubin also had increased adiponectin levels in blood, an anti-inflammatory cytokine directly secreted from adipose tissue (32). Andersson et al investigated short-term weight loss in obese high-risk cardiovascular patients and found that plasma total bilirubin concentration increases as body weight decreases (33).…”

Helicobacter pylori can be related to carotid intima-media thickness, epicardial adipose tissue thickness and serum neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) levels

“…The measurement of carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) is a useful and cheap marker in the detection of a subclinical atherosclerosis (6,7). It is known that the epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) surrounding the coronary arteries is an active tissue and secretes proinfl ammatory cytokines (8). Increased EAT thickness is related to a rise of coronary heart disease and myocardial infarction (9).…”