Serum leptin levels and blood pressure in the overweight elderly.
BACKGROUND
Leptin is a protein produced by adipocytes that reduces reflex appetite by blocking the Y neuropeptide, thus causing body weight loss. A large percentage of elderly people are reported to exhibit obesity, which may be caused by low leptin serum levels. However, hypertension is a highly prevalent condition in old age. Obesity under these circumstances is an added risk factor due to the presence and severity of hypertension and thus can be related with leptin serum levels. Our objective was to determine the relationship between leptin serum levels and hypertension in obese elderly persons.


METHODS
A comparative transverse study was done in a random sample of 61 elderly persons-36 obese and 25 non-obese. Their blood pressure and their leptin serum levels by RIA were measured.


RESULTS
Leptin serum levels showed a statistically significant difference (p <0.05) in elderly obese individuals (12.8 +/- 4.4 microg/L vs. 9.8 +/- 4.2 microg/L). Likewise, 45% of obese elderly individuals and 20% of the non-obese were hypertensive with a predominant elevation of the systolic pressure.


CONCLUSIONS
The higher serum leptin levels in obese elderly individuals suggests that aging is associated with resistance to leptin and/or to a decrease of receptors for this hormone. The high incidence of hypertension during the aging process is the result of associated obesity (OR = 3.2, CI 0.88-13.14).
Sánchez-Rodríguez
M
M
Unidad de Investigación en Gerontología, Facultad de Estudios Superiores Zaragoza, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), México, D.F., Mexico.
García-Sánchez
A
A
Retana-Ugalde
R
R
Mendoza-Núñez
V M
VM
D000368:Aged; D000886:Anthropometry; D001794:Blood Pressure; D001835:Body Weight; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications; D020738:Leptin / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology
D020738:Leptin