ADIPOQ and adiponectin deficiency: Male Japanese patients with hypoadiponectinemia (<4.0 μg/ml) show a significant 2-fold increase in the prevalence of coronary artery disease (CAD), independent of well-known CAD risk factors [14], and adiponectin levels below 4 μg/ml are closely associated with the clinical phenotype of the metabolic syndrome in Japanese men [21].