Functional paradox of leptin and adiponectin in diabetes patients and controls in the Cape Coast Metropolis of Ghana

Aim: To investigate the concept of obesity paradox in diabetes patients and nondiabetic control in the Cape Coast Metropolis of Ghana. Materials and Methods: Levels of leptin, adiponectin, total antioxidant power (TAP), lipid peroxides, and C-reactive protein (CRP) were assessed in 115 diabetics and an equal number of control respondents. Furthermore, various anthropometric indices and blood pressure were measured using standard methods. Levels of biomarkers were compared between groups based on body mass index or blood pressure classifications. Results: Control respondents exhibited higher (P < 0.05) levels of leptin, adiponectin, and TAP but lower levels of CRP and peroxides than diabetes patients. In each study group, overweight/obese respondents exhibited higher (P < 0.05) leptin level but comparable (P > 0.05) mean levels of the various biomarkers, except TAP level which was higher (P < 0.05) in the overweight/obese diabetic respondents only. Mean level of adiponectin was lower (P < 0.05) only in systolic diabetic hypertensives with comparable (P > 0.05) levels of the other biomarkers between diabetes patients and their control counterpart. Irrespective of diabetes, obesity, or hypertensive status, leptin associated positively with various measures of adiposity. Adiponectin correlated positively with leptin (R > 0.38; P< 0.05) only in the control respondents, suggesting a possible functional paradox of the adipocytokines in this group of respondents. Conclusion: Overweight/obese respondents appear metabolically healthier than their normal-weight counterparts. However, further studies are needed for proper understanding of this concept in the Ghanaian context