Serum leptin is elevated in Saudi Arabian patients with metabolic syndrome and coronary artery disease

Aims To compare plasma leptin in Saudi subjects with Type 2 diabetes and coronary heart disease (CHD) with non-diabetic control subjects and to examine the relationship of plasma leptin to other CHD risk factors. Research design and method Serum leptin concentrations were measured in 144 Saudi men. Subjects studied included 59 with Type 2 diabetes mellitus [BMI 27.5 (3.7) kg/m(2) mean (SD)], 34 with coronary heart disease [BMI 29.6 (1.8) kg/ m(2)], and 51 non-diabetic controls [BMI 28.0 (3.5) kg/m(2)]. There was no significant difference in BMI between the groups. Fasting serum leptin, lipids, insulin, apolipoproteins and glucose were measured. BMI, blood pressure; smoking habit and age were also recorded. Insulin resistance was assessed using the HOMA model. Results Leptin concentrations were significantly higher in diabetic and CHD patients than in controls (P = 0.024 and 0.016, respectively). Multiple regression analysis showed that body weight ( P < 0.0006), serum triglyceride concentration ( P = 0.046) and systolic blood pressure ( P = 0.013) were all significantly related to the logarithm of the serum leptin concentration (R-2 = 0.549) in CHD patients. A subgroup analysis, comparing those patients who had the metabolic syndrome, as defined by WHO, with controls, showed higher serum leptin in those with metabolic syndrome (P = 0.05). Conclusions Serum leptin is increased in Saudi subjects with diabetes mellitus, metabolic syndrome and CHD. Leptin may be a marker of risk of CHD, at least in men, and contribute to the CHD risk profile in subjects with insulin resistance. Further studies are needed to evaluate this relationship prospectively.