Urinary excretion of high molecular weight adiponectin is an independent predictor of decline of renal function in type 2 diabetes

Adiponectin and urinary adiponectin excretions have been ascribed a function in glomerular physiology and seem to indicate vascular disease in diabetes. The aim of this study was to compare the urinary excretion of albumin and adiponectin as predictors for decline of renal function in patients with type 2 diabetes and early kidney disease. Over 141 patients were screened for renal function (estimated GFR, ml/min*1.73 m 2 ), albumin excretion rate (AER, mg/24 h), total as well as high molecular weight (HMW) urinary adiponectin excretion (ng/mol u-creatinine). AER and adiponectin excretion were studied as predictors of renal function after 1 year. After 1 year, 36 patients were in the upper quartile of eGFR decline and defined as progressors (delta eGFR = − 12.3 ± 6.3) while the remaining 105 patients were defined as non-progressors (delta eGFR = 1.4 ± 6.0). At baseline, HMW-adiponectin excretion was positively correlated with HbA 1c ( p