ADIPOQ and rheumatoid arthritis: In contrast, however, higher concentrations of adiponectin have been observed in patients with chronic autoimmune diseases such as RA and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and have been directly associated with joint damage in RA.[5, 7, 8] Thus, adiponectin plays a complicated role in modulating the innate immune system and inflammation—in some states being anti-inflammatory, but in others perhaps contributing to inflammation and tissue destruction, and has prompted this investigation.[5, 8]