To study leptin levels in overweight and obese individuals and correlate with ambulatory blood pressure abnormalities

Objective: Various studies have suggested contradictory association between leptin and systolic or diastolic blood pressure in hypertensive individuals. Thus, the current study was conducted to assess the ambulatory blood pressure pattern and leptin levels in overweight and obese individuals and correlate leptin level with ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) abnormalities.
Methods: This cross sectional study was conducted in the Department of Medicine, King George’s Medical University, Lucknow over a period of 1 year. It involved patients of either gender, aged 20-60 years, with body mass index (BMI) more than 25 and less than 40 Kg/m2. Eligible subjects were subjected to anthropometric measurements, leptin measurement, ABPM monitoring, and baseline investigations like random blood sugar and lipid profile.
Results: A total of 95 patients were enrolled and grouped according to BMI into normal, overweight, and obese. Various ABPM parameters were correlated with BMI. There was a significant correlation (p <0.05) of increased leptin levels with total cholesterol, triglycerides, and LDL, but not with HDL. A weak correlation between leptin levels and various ABPM parameters, but not with diastolic day and night load blood pressure(BP) was noted. Although leptin showed a weak correlation with BP values, but these were significant (p <0.05), especially systolic BP.
Conclusion: From this study it can be concluded that leptin plays a significant contributory role in causing obesity related hypertension.