Elevated serum adiponectin level in patients with Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare complex pulmonary disease.

BACKGROUND Patients with Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare complex (MAC) pulmonary disease often suffer from weight loss. Adipokines are factors secreted by adipocytes, including leptin and adiponectin, as well as some inflammatory cytokines, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin 6 (IL-6). Body mass index (BMI) is known to be inversely correlated with adiponectin and positively with leptin, TNF-alpha, and IL-6. OBJECTIVE We aimed to evaluate the levels of serum adipokines, including adiponectin, leptin, TNF-alpha, and IL-6 in patients with MAC pulmonary disease. METHODS Forty consecutive patients with MAC pulmonary disease (8 males; median age 62 years; median BMI 18.1) were examined. Serum levels of adiponectin, leptin, TNF-alpha, and IL-6 were measured with ELISA. Age-, sex- and BMI-matched healthy subjects served as controls. RESULTS Serum adiponectin was significantly elevated in patients with MAC pulmonary disease compared with the controls (p < 0.01). In both the patients and controls, serum adiponectin levels were inversely correlated with BMI (p < 0.05). No significant correlation was observed between serum adiponectin levels and C-reactive protein or lung function. Serum leptin levels, which were positively correlated with BMI, did not differ between patients and controls. Serum levels of TNF-alpha and IL-6 were significantly greater in patients with MAC pulmonary disease than in controls. The levels of TNF-alpha and IL-6 were not correlated with BMI and other adipokines examined. CONCLUSION The results of the present study indicate that, in patients with MAC pulmonary disease, adiponectin is inappropriately secreted and may play a role in the pathophysiology of the disease.