Elevated adiponectin serum levels in patients with chronic alcohol abuse rapidly decrease during alcohol withdrawal

Adiponectin is a circulating protein with hepatoprotective effects. Moderate alcohol consumption is associated with elevated serum adiponectin levels (SAL) whereas the relationship of excessive alcohol consumption and SAL has not been analyzed in humans so far. Methods: SAL were determined in a) 76 heavy drinkers without advanced liver damage during the course of alcohol withdrawal, b) 120 patients with chronic HCV infection, c) 36 patients with alcohol-associated cirrhosis, and d) 10 healthy volunteers that consumed excessive amounts of alcohol for only short term. Further, primary human hepatocytes (PHH) and a…