Urinary adiponectin excretion is an early predictive marker of the decline of the renal function in patients with diabetes mellitus

Abstract Aims Since diabetes-associated kidney complication changes from diabetic nephropathy to diabetic kidney disease (DKD), more suitable biomarkers than urinary albumin are required. It has been hypothesized that urinary adiponectin (u-ADPN) is associated with the progression of DKD. We therefore evaluated the effectiveness of u-ADPN in predicting the decline of the renal function in patients with diabetes prior to end-stage renal disease. Methods An ultrasensitive immune complex transfer enzyme immunoassay (ICT-EIA) was used to measure total and high molecular weight (HMW) adiponectin separately. We evaluated the relationships between the creatinine-adjusted urinary total-ADPN and HMW-ADPN, albumin (UACR) and liver-type fatty acid binding protein (L-FABP) at baseline and the 2-year change of the estimated glomerular filtration rate (ΔeGFR). Results This 2-year prospective observational study included 201 patients with diabetes. These patients were divided into three groups according to their ΔeGFR: ≤-10 ml/min/1.73m2, >-10 and ≤0 ml/min/1.73m2, and >0 ml/min/1.73m2. Jonckheere-Terpstra test showed that lower ΔeGFR was associated with higher u-HMW-ADPN (p = 0.045). In logistic regression analysis, u-HMW-ADPN was associated with ΔeGFR after adjusted age, sex, and basal eGFR. Conclusion Urinary HMW-ADPN could predict a declining renal function in patients with diabetes.