The Response of Circulating Leptin Levels to Exercise Stress Testing in Subjects Diagnosed with Metabolic Syndrome

Aim . To assess the plasma leptin responses after exercise stress testing in patients with metabolic syndrome (MS). Material and Methods . We investigated 67 patients with MS, with mean age of 55 ± 7 years. They underwent exercise stress testing on cycloergometer. The lot was divided into three groups: group 1—10 patients with a true positive test, group 2—18 patients with a true negative test, and group 3—39 patients with a false negative test. Leptin levels were measured using the ELISA method. Results . Leptin levels decreased after effort in patients with MS (9.42 ± 11.08 ng/mL before and 8.18 ± 11.5 ng/mL after the exercise stress test, P = 0.0005, r = 0.874). In groups 1 (8.98 ± 9.09 at rest versus 5.98 ± 8.73 ng/mL after the exercise test, P = 0.002) and 3 (8.6 ± 10.53 at rest versus 6.91 ± 9.07 ng/mL, P = 0.0005), lower leptin levels were recorded immediately after exercise testing. Leptin levels were not significantly lower in group 2 before effort (9.49 ± 11.36 ng/ml) and after (9.46 ± 13.81 ng/mL). We found no correlation between leptinemia and exercise stress testing parameters, regardless of group. Conclusion . Our research showed that short-term exercise lowers leptin levels in coronary patients, without a relationship between its parameters and leptin values.