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Leptin and the vasculature in young adults: The African‐ PREDICT study
Author(s) -
Ahiante Blessing O.,
Smith Wayne,
Lammertyn Leandi,
Schutte Aletta E.
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
european journal of clinical investigation
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.164
H-Index - 107
eISSN - 1365-2362
pISSN - 0014-2972
DOI - 10.1111/eci.13039
Subject(s) - leptin , pulse wave velocity , medicine , intima media thickness , cross sectional study , body mass index , overweight , subclinical infection , endocrinology , arterial stiffness , common carotid artery , endothelial dysfunction , cardiology , carotid arteries , obesity , blood pressure , pathology
Background and aim Information regarding the effect of leptin on the vasculature in young healthy adults at risk for cardiovascular disease development is limited. We therefore examined the associations between measures of subclinical atherosclerosis (carotid intima‐media thickness, carotid cross‐sectional wall area), large artery stiffness (pulse wave velocity) and a measure of endothelial dysfunction (von Willebrand factor [vWF]) with leptin in young healthy men and women. Methods In a cross‐sectional study in South Africa involving 820 normotensive individuals (337 men and 483 women) aged 20‐30 years, we measured carotid intima‐media thickness, carotid cross‐sectional wall area, pulse wave velocity, vWF from citrated plasma and leptin from serum. Results Despite sevenfold higher leptin in women than men ( P < 0.001), only in young healthy men, we observed negative, independent associations between measures of carotid wall thickness (carotid intima‐media thickness: R 2 = 0.05; β = −0.20; P = 0.036; carotid cross‐sectional wall area: R 2 = 0.05; β = −0.20; P = 0.035) with leptin in multivariable‐adjusted regression analyses. When reviewing these associations across body mass index categories, we found an association to be evident only in overweight men (carotid intima‐media thickness: R 2 = 0.15; β = −0.41; P = 0.007; carotid cross‐sectional wall area: R 2 = 0.21; β = −0.47; P = 0.002). No association was observed in the women or between pulse wave velocity and vWF with leptin. Conclusion In young healthy men, we found a beneficial inverse association between measures of carotid wall thickness and circulating leptin, thereby supporting a potential vascular protective role of leptin.