Relationship of obesity and body fat distribution with ceruloplasmin serum levels.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the influence of obesity and body fat distribution on serum levels of ceruloplasmin, a risk factor for myocardial infarction.


METHODS
Fasting concentrations of ceruloplasmin, insulin, glucose, lipid pattern (cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, triglycerides), blood pressure levels, and body fat distribution were determined in a population of non-diabetic subjects.


METHODS
University Hospital Outpatient Clinic.


METHODS
87 consecutive individuals (35 men and 52 women), represented by 27 normal weight (BMI: < 25.0), 20 overweight (BMI: > 25.0-30.0) and 40 obese (BMI: > 30.0) subjects.


METHODS
Serum insulin levels were quantified by radioimmunoassay, plasma glucose and lipid concentrations by enzymatic assays, and serum ceruloplasmin by nephelometry. Intra-abdominal thickness was measured by ultrasound technique.


RESULTS
Ceruloplasmin levels were significantly (P < 0.001) higher in obese (36.5 +/- 8.60 mg/dl) than in overweight (30.4 +/- 6.17 mg/dl) and normal weight (29.3 +/- 8.06 mg/dl) subjects. Of several variables associated with ceruloplasmin (BMI, waist circumference, WHR, intra-abdominal thickness, triglycerides, cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, insulin), only triglycerides (in both men and women) and ultrasound intra-abdominal thickness (in women) maintained a significantly independent relationship with this protein in multiple stepwise analysis. Moreover, both triglycerides and total cholesterol maintained an independent correlation with ceruloplasmin when the data from both men and women were pooled together.


CONCLUSIONS
This study indicates that patients with central obesity have characteristically higher ceruloplasmin serum levels, and that ceruloplasmin concentrations are strongly correlated with serum triglyceride and cholesterol levels (in both sexes) and visceral fat accumulation (in women), independently of the other associated cardiovascular risk factors (insulin and blood pressure levels). Since ceruloplasmin has been shown to increase in response to the atherosclerotic inflammatory process, and to promote coronarosclerosis, the determination of serum ceruloplasmin in subjects with central obesity might be a useful tool to identify patients with the highest risk for myocardial infarction.
Cignarelli
M
M
Istituto di Clinica Medica, Endocrinologia e Malattie Metaboliche dell'Università di Bari, Policlinico, Bari, Italy.
DePergola
G
G
Picca
G
G
Sciaraffia
M
M
Pannacciulli
N
N
Tarallo
M
M
Laudadio
E
E
Turrisi
E
E
Giorgino
R
R
D000273:Adipose Tissue; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D001823:Body Composition; D001824:Body Constitution; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002570:Ceruloplasmin / Q000378:metabolism*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood*; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
D001786:Blood Glucose; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D007328:Insulin; D014280:Triglycerides; D002784:Cholesterol; D002570:Ceruloplasmin