Association of plasma adiponectin levels with cellular hydration state measured using bioelectrical impedance analysis in patients with COPD

BACKGROUND It is widely recognized that chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) includes a variety of extra pulmonary complications and comorbidities. Recently, adiponectin was shown to regulate cellular metabolism in humans. Cellular hydration state is affected by a variety of hormonal factors and regulates cellular metabolic state. Therefore, this study was designed to determine whether adiponectin is a possible factor involved in cellular hydration state in COPD. METHODS Thirty patients with COPD and 41 age-matched controls participated in the study. Plasma levels of total and high molecular weight (HMW) adiponectin were measured and anthropometry and pulmonary function tests were conducted. Intracellular water (ICW), extracellular water (ECW), and ECW/ICW ratio, which are parameters of cellular hydration state, were measured using bioelectrical impedance analysis. RESULTS Higher levels of total and HMW adiponectin in plasma were found in patients with COPD compared with levels in controls. A significant inverse correlation was observed between body mass index and plasma levels of total and HMW adiponectin in the control group. However, this significant correlation was not observed in patients with COPD. The plasma levels of total and HMW adiponectin were also not significantly correlated with any pulmonary function parameters in patients with COPD. Regarding the state of cellular hydration, the plasma levels of total adiponectin were inversely correlated with the ECW/ICW ratio and positively with ICW values in patients with COPD. Moreover, closer correlations were found between these parameters and plasma HMW adiponectin levels. CONCLUSION The results of the present study suggest a novel association of the plasma adiponectin with cellular hydration state in patients with COPD. Accordingly, lower adiponectin levels may result in cellular shrinkage, leading to metabolic malfunction at a cellular level. Thus, our findings provide new insights regarding the preventive roles of adiponectin in the progression of comorbidities in COPD.