Association between Serum Leptin Levels and 24‐Hour Blood Pressure in Obese Women

Abstract

GUAGNANO, MARIA T., MARIA R. MANIGRASSO, ENZO BALLONE, ROSANNA DELLA VECCHIA, GRAZIANO RICCIONI, MARINA MARINOPICCOLI, MICHELE NUTINI, SERGIO SENSI, AND GIOVANNI DAVÌ. Association between serum leptin levels and 24-hour blood pressure in obese women. Obes Res. 2003; 11:549 -555. Objective: To assess the relationship between serum leptin and 24-hour blood pressure (BP) in obese women, according to body fat distribution. Research Methods and Procedures:A cross-sectional study was carried out in a population of 70 nondiabetic, normotensive, obese women (40 with android and 30 with gynoid type of obesity) and 20 nonobese healthy women as a control group. All subjects underwent 24-hour ambulatory BP monitoring. Blood samples were collected for serum leptin and plasma insulin measurements. Total cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol were also measured. Results: Serum leptin levels were significantly higher in obese subjects than in controls, and they were more elevated in android obese women than in gynoid ones. Leptin levels were positively related to body mass index (BMI), insulin, and waist and hip circumferences in the android group. Among gynoid subjects, leptin levels showed positive associations with BMI and insulin. In women with android obesity, strong positive correlations (p Ͻ 0.001) were found between leptin levels and 24-hour systolic BP (SBP), daytime SBP, nighttime SBP, 24-hour diastolic BP (DBP), and daytime DBP. Multiple regression analyses, including age, insulin and leptin concentrations, BMI, and waist and hip circumferences on 24-hour and daytime SBP and DBP, showed that only leptin levels contributed to the variability of BP. Conclusions: Our study shows that serum leptin levels are directly related to 24-hour BP levels in normotensive women with android fat distribution, independently of BMI.

Leptin is favourably associated with vascular function in obese Caucasians, but not in obese Africans

“…Indeed, after this adjustment, the associations between leptin and SV, CO and C W disappeared, but a negative association with DBP became apparent and the negative association with TPR remained. These results were confirmed by means of multiple regression analyses (Table 3 What is known about leptin and cardiovascular function (a) Leptin correlates with body fat mass and is invariably elevated in obese compared to lean subjects 6 (b) Leptin has been found to be positively associated with blood pressure in various population groups [8][9][10][11][12][13] (c) Leptin is independently associated with systolic blood pressure, pulse pressure and arterial compliance in obese hypertensive African women 21 (d) Leptin has pressor effects by: K Decreasing vascular function 14 Leptin is independently associated with intima media thickness of the common carotid artery 15 and decreased arterial distensibility, decreasing arterial compliance 14 This is possible since leptin receptors are situated on the endothelium 35 and vascular smooth muscle cells 36 K Increasing renal sympathetic activity:…”

“…5 Since the adipocyte derived hormone, leptin, is invariably elevated in the obese, 6 studies have suggested the involvement of leptin in obesityrelated hypertension. 7 Rightly so, leptin has pressor actions and has been associated with blood pressure [8][9][10][11][12][13] as well as decreased vascular function, 14,15 lowering C W and increasing TPR. Furthermore, leptin also activates the sympathetic nervous system.…”

Association of leptin levels with obesity and blood pressure: possible common genetic variation

“…Several studies have reported a strong relationship between leptin concentration and BMI (a surrogate for overall adiposity). [10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18] Moreover, the genetic studies revealed that the strong correlation between these two variables is a result of shared genetic sources (eg Kaprio et al…”

Leptin is independently associated with systolic blood pressure, pulse pressure and arterial compliance in hypertensive African women with increased adiposity: the POWIRS study

“…Leptin levels have been reported to be higher in patients with hypertension compared to normotensive controls 11,43 and have been positively associated with blood pressure in various nonAfrican population groups. [10][11][12][13][14][15]43 El-Gharbawy et al 8 failed to obtain a direct positive association between leptin and blood pressure in obese hypertensive African-American women with leptin levels that were significantly higher in relation to a obese normotensive African-American female group. Since leptin is independently associated with intima-media thickness, 17 decreased arterial distensibility 16 (decreasing arterial compliance) and blood pressure [10][11][12][13][14][15]43 in non-African population groups, the findings by El-Gharbawy et al 8 seems surprising since the group under study was hyperleptinaemic and hypertensive.…”

“…8 Evidence suggests that elevated leptin levels may play an important role in the pathogenesis of obesity-related hypertension 9 and accordingly has been associated with increased blood pressure. [10][11][12][13][14][15] The mechanisms associating leptin with blood pressure in obesityrelated hypertension are multiple. One mechanism has been the involvement of leptin in decreasing vascular function.…”