Adiponectinemia, inflammatory process activity, and endothelial dysfunction in patients with type 2 diabetes and acute coronary syndrome with ST elevation in relation to the severity of lesions in the coronary arteries

Metabolic disorders developing in diabetes are associated with impaired endothelial function and the presence of subclinical inflammation, in consequence leading to generalized atherosclerosis. Vasoprotective factors include adiponectin, a cytokine with a diverse antiatherosclerotic activity. Objectives. Evaluation of adiponectin concentrations and activity of the inflammatory process and endothelial dysfunction in patients with type 2 diabetes and acute coronary syndrome (ACS) with ST elevation (STEMI) in relation to the severity of lesions in the coronary arteries. Patients and methods. This study included 72 patients (24 women, 48 men) with type 2 diabetes, treated with sulphonylurea derivatives, diagnosed with STEMI, who underwent percutaneous coronary angioplasty. The treated group consisted of 41 patients, mean age (± standard deviation) was 64 ±9.6 years, the Gensini score (GS) >32 points (more advanced lesions in the coronary vessels). The control group consisted of 31 patients, a mean age of 63 ±10 years, GS <32 points (less advanced lesions). Within 12 hours after the ACS, serum troponin T activity (TnT), creatine kinase MB isoenzyme (CK-MB), C-reactive protein (CRP), fibrinogen, two adhesion molecules – soluble vascular adhesion molecule-1 (sVCAM-1) and soluble intercellular adhesive molecule-1 (sICAM-1) were evaluated in serum of the patients. Leucocytosis, glucose and insulin levels, and lipid profiles were obtained after overnight fast conditions. Results. Patients in group I demonstrated a significantly higher TnT and CK-MB (1.39 ±1.3 vs 0.83 ±0.74 ng/ml, p <0.05; 139.6 ±178.5 vs 57.48 ±52.1 IU/l p <0.05, respectively), higher concentrations of CRP (12.06 ±14.3 vs 3.59 ±4.1mg/l, p <0.05) fibrinogen (4.59 ±1.93 vs 3.62 ±1.36 g/l, p <0.05), sVCAM-1 (1393.4 ±865.4 vs 863.9 ±425.2 ng/ml, p <0.05) and sICAM-1 (735.1 ±316.3 vs 573.3 ±226.1 ng/ml, p <0.05), higher leucocytosis (11430 ±3680 vs 9750 ±3100 μl-1, p <0.05) and lower adiponectin concentrations (5.8 ±5.2 vs 8.3 ±2.9 8 μg/ml, p <0.05) as compared to the control group. Conclusions. Hypoadiponectinaemia, severity of the inflammatory process and endothelial dysfunction could be factors contributing to the progression of atherosclerotic lesions in the coronary arteries in patients with type 2 diabetes.