ADIPOQ and anemia (phenotype): Anemia is recognized as a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, although the causal relationship remains controversial.15 Anemia may cause or aggravate cardiovascular diseases through hemodynamic effects30 and other mechanisms, such as decreased adiponectin levels and peripheral endothelial progenitor cells.31,32 While our study did not demonstrate that severe anemia during hospitalization increased the overall risk of cardiovascular events in critically ill patients, it did reveal the increased risk in patients aged < 65 years.