title: High plasma leptin levels are associated with impaired diastolic function in patients with coronary artery disease.
abstract: Obese subjects have elevated leptin levels, which have been associated with increased risk of cardiovascular events. Because leptin has direct cellular effects on various tissues, we tested the hypothesis that leptin levels are associated with cardiac structure or function in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD).
  
  
  
  The study population consisted of 1 601 CAD patients, of whom 42% had type 2 diabetes mellitus. Plasma leptin was measured in fasted state and an echocardiography performed. Leptin levels were not related to LV dimensions or LV ejection fraction (NS for all), but higher leptin levels were associated with elevated E/E' (9.43 vs. 11.94 in the lowest and the highest leptin quartile, respectively; p=0.018 for trend). Correspondingly, a decreasing trend was observed in E/A (1.15 vs. 1.06; p=0.037). These associations were independent of obesity and other relevant confounding variables.
  
  
  
  We conclude that elevated plasma leptin levels are associated with impaired left ventricular diastolic function in patients with CAD independently of obesity and other confounding variables. Leptin may be one of the mechanistic links explaining the development of congestive heart failure in obese subjects.
authors.affiliation: Research Unit of Internal Medicine, Medical Research Center Oulu, Oulu University Hospital and University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland. Electronic address: veli-pekka.puurunen@oulu.fi.
authors.forename: V P
authors.initials: VP
authors.lastname: Puurunen
authors.affiliation: Research Unit of Internal Medicine, Medical Research Center Oulu, Oulu University Hospital and University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.
authors.forename: E S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Lepojärvi
authors.affiliation: Research Unit of Internal Medicine, Medical Research Center Oulu, Oulu University Hospital and University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.
authors.forename: O P
authors.initials: OP
authors.lastname: Piira
authors.affiliation: NordLab Oulu, Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland; Department of Clinical Chemistry, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hedberg
authors.affiliation: Research Unit of Internal Medicine, Medical Research Center Oulu, Oulu University Hospital and University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Junttila
authors.affiliation: Research Unit of Internal Medicine, Medical Research Center Oulu, Oulu University Hospital and University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ukkola
authors.affiliation: Research Unit of Internal Medicine, Medical Research Center Oulu, Oulu University Hospital and University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.
authors.forename: H V
authors.initials: HV
authors.lastname: Huikuri
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology; D003971:Diastole / Q000502:physiology; D004452:Echocardiography; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D020738:Leptin / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology; D012307:Risk Factors; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D020738:Leptin
keywords: Coronary artery disease; Diastolic function; Heart failure; Leptin; Obesity