Free fatty acids and insulin levels--relationship to leptin levels and body composition in various patient groups from South Africa.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the relationship between leptin concentrations, various metabolic indices and body composition in six different groups.


METHODS
Anthropometric measurements, fasting plasma glucose, serum insulin, C-peptide, FFA and leptin levels were performed. In the obese and diabetic subjects, body composition was analysed with bio-impedance equipment and as a 5 level CT scan.


METHODS
Five lipoatrophic diabetes mellitus (LDM) patients, five normal subjects (N), nine white and nine black obese women (WW, BW), and nine white and nine black diabetic women (DWW, DBW) were investigated after an overnight fast.


RESULTS
In both ethnic groups there was a positive correlation between leptin and BMI (black group: r=0.8; P<0.0001, white group: r=0.7, P<0.002) and leptin and SC fat mass (black group: r=0.6; P<0.005, white group: r=0.6; P<0.004).


CONCLUSIONS
Across the groups, there were positive linear correlations between leptin concentrations, BMI, SC fat mass and FFA levels. Leptin and FFA concentrations are higher and insulin levels lower in both groups of black women compared to the two groups of white women, despite a similar BMI and body fat mass. In the DBW the large increase in visceral fat mass may be indicative of a more complex relationship between compensatory insulin resistance, elevated FFA levels and leptin secretion.
der Merwe
M T
MT
Carbohydrate and Lipid Metabolism Research Group, University of Witwatersrand Medical School, Johannesburg, South Africa.
Panz
V R
VR
Crowther
N J
NJ
Schlaphoff
G P
GP
Gray
I P
IP
Froguel
P
P
Joffe
B I
BI
Lönnroth
P N
PN
D000328:Adult; D000886:Anthropometry; D044383:Black People; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D001823:Body Composition; D002096:C-Peptide / Q000097:blood; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood* / Q000208:ethnology; D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood*; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D020738:Leptin / Q000032:analysis*; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood* / Q000208:ethnology; D013019:South Africa; D044465:White People
D001786:Blood Glucose; D002096:C-Peptide; D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified; D007328:Insulin; D020738:Leptin