Background: Plasma adiponectin (APN) levels might be affected by age. In this study we aimed to study the association between plasma APN levels and age and the effects of APN levels on mortality in age-stratified septic patients.

Methods: We conducted this single-center, retrospective study with 173 patients with sepsis and 57 controls. Physical and demographic characteristics were recorded, and blood samples were collected to measure plasma APN levels. Using this data, we determined the association between plasma APN levels and age, and the effect of plasma APN levels on mortality in age-stratified septic patients.

Results: We stratified patients into three age groups: < 60 years (middle age); 60-80 years (advanced age); and elderly (≥ 80 years). Plasma APN levels increased with increasing age in both the control group and the sepsis group. Mortality also increased with age: 12.3% in the < 60 group; 24.6% in those 60-80 years of age; and 36.2% in elderly patients >80 years (P<0.001). In middle-aged and advanced-age patients, APN levels were found to be associated with 28-day mortality based on the receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. Furthermore, APN levels remained independently associated with 28-day mortality in patients < 80 years. However, in elderly patients the APN levels showed no significant association with 28-day mortality. 

Conclusion: We found a positive association between plasma adiponectin levels and age in septic patients. Low circulating levels of APN were associated with 28-day mortality in septic patients < 80 years of age. We found no significant association between APN and mortality in sepsis patients who were > 80 years of age.