title: Serum leptin levels in patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy: a pilot study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Elevated serum leptin levels are associated with cardiovascular events. We investigated the role of serum leptin in patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy (CEA).
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 74 patients (55 men; 38 symptomatic and 36 asymptomatic; mean age 66.9 +/- 8.2 years) undergoing CEA for >70% carotid artery stenosis were enrolled.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Serum leptin levels were lower in symptomatic compared with asymptomatic patients (7.1 +/- 1.3 vs 14.4 +/- 4.7 ng/dL; P < .001). Interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels were higher in symptomatic compared with asymptomatic patients (4.3 +/- 1.7 vs 3.3 +/- 1.1 pg/dL; P = .017). Symptomatic patients had more intense macrophage accumulation (0.7% +/- 0.1% vs 0.3% +/- 0.1%; P < .001). Serum leptin and serum IL-6 levels were independently associated with the presence of symptoms in multivariate analysis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Serum leptin levels were decreased in symptomatic carotid artery disease. This finding requires further investigation in larger studies.
authors.affiliation: Red Cross Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Ioannis
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Bountouris
authors.forename: Kosmas I
authors.initials: KI
authors.lastname: Paraskevas
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Koutouzis
authors.forename: Vassiliki
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Tzavara
authors.forename: Nikolaos
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Nikolaou
authors.forename: Alexandros
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nomikos
authors.forename: Calypso
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Barbatis
authors.forename: Vassilios
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Andrikopoulos
authors.forename: Dimitri P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Mikhailidis
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Andrikopoulou
authors.forename: Zenon S
authors.initials: ZS
authors.lastname: Kyriakides
authors.forename: Sotirios
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Georgopoulos
authors.forename: Panagiotis O
authors.initials: PO
authors.lastname: Michail
authors.forename: Elias
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bastounis
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000601:surgery; D018450:Disease Progression; D016894:Endarterectomy, Carotid / Q000379:methods*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D020738:Leptin / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009391:Nephelometry and Turbidimetry; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011379:Prognosis; D012307:Risk Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D015850:Interleukin-6; D020738:Leptin