Leptin levels in obese women with and without type 2 diabetes mellitus.
BACKGROUND
The role of leptin has been more clear in the endocrinology area after the discovery of its secretion from the adipose tissue. The aim of the study is to investigate the leptin levels in obese women in whom type 2 diabetes mellitus were present or absent.


METHODS
Thirty-five obese women with type 2 diabetes mellitus (group 1) and 34 obese women without type 2 diabetes mellitus (group 2) were enrolled in the study. In both groups the body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, and waist-to-hip ratio were measured. Leptin, HbA1c, creatinine and the lipid profile were assessed.


RESULTS
Leptin was found to be statistically significantly lower in group 1 than in group 2 (40.22 +/- 17.77 ng/ml versus 50.12 +/- 15.51 ng/ml, respectively; p = 0.019). It was well correlated with BMI in group 1 (r = 0.60, p = 0.0001). In group 1 also, correlation of leptin was moderate with creatinine and high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (r = 0.36, p = 0.037 versus r = 0.37, p = 0.027, respectively), whereas triglyceride had a negative correlation (r = -0.34, p = 0.046). In group 2, the only significant correlation with leptin was BMI (r = 0.41, p = 0.02). Leptin was also significantly lower in 17 subjects with poorly controlled diabetes mellitus than in 18 well-controlled diabetics (33.54 +/- 15.82 ng/ml versus 44.61 +/- 17.54 ng/ml, respectively; p = 0.038).


CONCLUSIONS
Since leptin is lower in obese women with diabetes than without diabetes and additionally it is even lower in the poorly controlled diabetes subgroup, we think that further studies a rerequired to make clear the issue for lower leptin levels, whether it is a reason or an outcome.
Buyukbese
Mehmet Akif
MA
Department of Internal Medicine, Kahramanmaras Sutcu Imam University, Faculty of Medicine, 46050 Kahramanmaras, Turkey. akif_buyukbese@yahoo.com
Cetinkaya
Ali
A
Kocabas
Ramazan
R
Guven
Aytekin
A
Tarakcioglu
Mehmet
M
D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D003404:Creatinine / Q000097:blood; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D020738:Leptin / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D003404:Creatinine; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin; D020738:Leptin; D014280:Triglycerides