Relationship between metabolic syndrome and platelet responsiveness to leptin in overweight and obese patients.
OBJECTIVE
To verify whether platelet responsiveness to leptin is associated with metabolic syndrome risk factors.


METHODS
Cross-sectional study.


METHODS
We studied 169 consecutive patients, mean age=43.6+/-9.9 years, with overweight (N=57) or obesity (N=112).


METHODS
Cluster analysis was used to generate three clusters based on platelet responsiveness to increasing doses of leptin. Profiles of metabolic syndrome risk factors of the three clusters were compared by discriminant analysis.


RESULTS
Platelet responsiveness to leptin was absent in cluster 1, whereas cluster 3 had the greatest platelet aggregation response to leptin pre-incubation. Plasma leptin levels significantly decreased from cluster 1 to cluster 3 in both gender. Patients in cluster 2 had an intermediate profile of leptin responsiveness. Highest body mass index (BMI) values were more frequent in non-responders, whereas the prevalence of high waist circumference, as well as hypertriglyceridemia and hypertension, increased with increasing responsiveness to leptin from cluster 1 to cluster 3. Pattern of metabolic syndrome risk factors qualified as group specific in 69.0% of the cluster 1, 54.9% of the cluster 2 and 55.8% of the cluster 3. Circulating leptin, waist circumference, plasma triglycerides and BMI defined distinctive patterns of metabolic syndrome risk factors in the clusters.


CONCLUSIONS
In overweight and obese outpatients, metabolic syndrome risk factors parallel to some extent platelet responsiveness to leptin. Such a correlation involves plasma leptin levels, waist circumference, plasma triglycerides and BMI, and may contribute to the excess risk of cardiovascular events in overweight and obese patients.
Corica
F
F
Dipartimento di Medicina Interna e Terapia Medica, Università degli Studi di Messina, Messina, Italy.
Corsonello
A
A
Lucchetti
M
M
Malara
A
A
De  Domenico
D
D
Cannavò
L
L
Foti
S
S
Valenti
A
A
Ientile
R
R
Saitta
A
A
D000328:Adult; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020738:Leptin / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism*; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism*; D050177:Overweight / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism*; D010974:Platelet Aggregation / Q000187:drug effects*; D012307:Risk Factors; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
D020738:Leptin; D014280:Triglycerides