title: Gender dependent association of 25-hydroxyvitamin D and circulating leptin in saudi subjects: influence of dyslipidemia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Leptin and vitamin D play an important role in obesity development and metabolic effects; however, the association between leptin and vitamin D is not well studied in Saudi subjects. We aimed to examine gender dependent association between serum leptin and 25-OH-VitD in adult Saudi subjects.
  
  
  METHODS
  For this cross-sectional study in a cohort of 259 Saudi adults (100 male, age: 46.4 ± 0.9 yr [mean ± SD]; BMI: 27.8 ± 0.5 Kg/m(2)) and (159 female, age 46.5 ± 0.7 [mean ± SD]; BMI: 28.4 ± 0.4 Kg/m(2)) anthropometrics, fasting bloods, and biochemical data were collected. Serum leptin and 25-hydroxyvitamin D (vitamin D or 25-OH-VitD) were quantified using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Circulating leptin and vitamin D levels were significantly higher in females compared to male (P<0.001 and P<0.01 respectively). Visceral adiposity index (VAI), triglycerides and total cholesterol were significantly higher (P<0.05, P<0.001, and P<0.05, respectively) while HDL-cholesterol were lower (P<0.001) in male compared to female subjects. In males, vitamin D levels were positively associated with leptin (r = 0.196, P<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Vitamin D was positively associated with serum leptin in male Saudi subjects. Additionally, male subjects were found to be dyslipidemic, which might be a responsible factor for this discordant association between vitamin D and leptin in Saudi population.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Biomarkers Research Program, College of Science, King Saud University Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia ; Department of Biochemistry, Prince Mutaib Chair for Biomarkers of Osteoporosis, College of Science, King Saud University Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Nasser M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Al-Daghri
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Biomarkers Research Program, College of Science, King Saud University Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Shakilur
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rahman
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Biomarkers Research Program, College of Science, King Saud University Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Osama E
authors.initials: OE
authors.lastname: Amer
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Biomarkers Research Program, College of Science, King Saud University Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia ; Department of Biochemistry, Prince Mutaib Chair for Biomarkers of Osteoporosis, College of Science, King Saud University Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Omar S
authors.initials: OS
authors.lastname: Al-Attas
authors.affiliation: Division of Translational and Systems Medicine, Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick Coventry, UK.
authors.forename: Philip G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: McTernan
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Biomarkers Research Program, College of Science, King Saud University Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia ; Department of Biochemistry, Prince Mutaib Chair for Biomarkers of Osteoporosis, College of Science, King Saud University Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Majed S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Alokail
keywords: Leptin; Saudi subjects; dyslipidemia; vitamin D