Serum adiponectin levels in patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis

Background: A few studies have outlined a possible relationship between an increased body mass index and allergic rhinitis. A single study reported that males with seasonal allergic rhinitis (SAR), evaluated outside the pollen season, had increased serum adiponectin levels.

Objective: The aim of this preliminary study was to evaluate the serum adiponectin levels in a cohort of SAR normo-weight patients evaluated during the pollen season, comparing them with SAR patients evaluated out of pollen season and a group of healthy controls.

Methods: The study included 137 subjects; 62 SAR patients evaluated in their pollen season, while symptomatic, 41 SAR patients studied out their pollen season, while they were without symptoms, and 34 normal subjects. All subjects were consecutively evaluated. All of them were normo-weight. A skin prick test and blood sampling for assessing serum adiponectin levels were performed in all subjects.

Results: After analysing genders separately, symptomatic male patients had significantly higher levels than both symptomless and normal males (p = 0.0041 and 0.0001 respectively), symptomatic female patients showed significantly higher levels than both symptomless and normal females (p = 0.0001 and 0.0071 respectively).

Conclusion: This study provides the preliminary evidence that adiponectin serum levels might depend on allergen exposure in SAR normo-weight patients.