Serum sialic acid, a reputed cardiovascular risk factor, is related to serum leptin concentrations in Fijians.
BACKGROUND
Serum sialic acid (TSA) has been shown to be a cardiovascular risk factor and an acute phase reactant, with elevated concentrations associated with increased cardiovascular mortality and to precede the onset of type 2 diabetes.


OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this present study was to test the hypothesis that serum TSA may be related to serum leptin concentrations in healthy individuals.


METHODS
Thirty Fijian individuals were studied (8 males and 22 females). They were urban Melanesians living in Raiwaga, a suburb of Suva in Fiji.


RESULTS
Serum TSA significantly correlated with subject body mass index (BMI, rho 0.39, P<0.05) and serum leptin concentration (rho 0.44, P<0.05). In stepwise multiple regression analysis serum TSA independently correlated with subject waist/hip ratio (r(2)=0.167, P<0.02) and diastolic blood pressure (r(2)=0.300, P<0.01) but not with age, BMI, serum insulin-like growth factor binding protein (IGFBP-1), fasting plasma glucose or systolic or diastolic blood pressure.


CONCLUSIONS
Serum TSA is related to markers of obesity and adipose tissue metabolism which may help to explain why it is a reputed cardiovascular risk factor and why elevated serum TSA concentrations precede the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus.
Crook
M A
MA
Department of Chemical Pathology, Guy's, St. Thomas' and University Hospital, 5th Floor Tower, Lewisham, London, SE1 9RT, UK. martin.crook@gstt.sthames.nhs.uk
Miell
J
J
Ameerally
P
P
Lumb
P
P
Singh
N
N
Russell-Jones
D
D
Goldsmith
L
L
D000328:Adult; D000886:Anthropometry; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D001794:Blood Pressure; D001824:Body Constitution; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D005215:Fasting / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005367:Fiji / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D018970:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 1 / Q000097:blood; D020738:Leptin / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012794:Sialic Acids / Q000097:blood*
D001786:Blood Glucose; D018970:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 1; D020738:Leptin; D012794:Sialic Acids