New Insights on the Relationship between Leptin, Ghrelin, and Leptin/Ghrelin Ratio Enforced by Body Mass Index in Obesity and Diabetes
Adela-Viviana Sitar-Tǎut,
Angela Cozma,
Adriana Fodor,
Sorina-Cezara Coste,
Olga Hilda Orasan,
Vasile Negrean,
Dana Pop,
Dan-Andrei Sitar-Tǎut
Affiliations
Adela-Viviana Sitar-Tǎut
Internal Medicine Department, 4th Medical Clinic, Faculty of Medicine, “Iuliu Hațieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400012 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Angela Cozma
Internal Medicine Department, 4th Medical Clinic, Faculty of Medicine, “Iuliu Hațieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400012 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Adriana Fodor
Clinical Center of Diabetes, Nutrition, Metabolic Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, “Iuliu Hațieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400012 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Sorina-Cezara Coste
Internal Medicine Department, 4th Medical Clinic, Faculty of Medicine, “Iuliu Hațieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400012 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Olga Hilda Orasan
Internal Medicine Department, 4th Medical Clinic, Faculty of Medicine, “Iuliu Hațieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400012 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Vasile Negrean
Internal Medicine Department, 4th Medical Clinic, Faculty of Medicine, “Iuliu Hațieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400012 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Dana Pop
Department of Cardiology, Clinical Rehabilitation Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, “Iuliu Hațieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400012 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Dan-Andrei Sitar-Tǎut
Business Information Systems Department, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration 58-60 Theodor Mihaly Street, “Babeş-Bolyai” University, 400591 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Currently, adipose tissue is considered an endocrine organ, however, there are still many questions regarding the roles of adipokines—leptin and ghrelin being two adipokines. The purpose of the study was to assess the relationship between the adipokines and their ratio with obesity and diabetes. Methods: Sixty patients (mean age 61.88 ± 10.08) were evaluated. Cardiovascular risk factors, leptin, ghrelin, and insulin resistance score values were assessed. The patients were classified according to their body mass index (BMI) as normal weight, overweight, and obese. Results: 20% normal weight, 51.7% overweight, 28.3% obese, and 23.3% diabetic. Obese patients had higher leptin values (in obese 34,360 pg/mL vs. overweight 18,000 pg/mL vs. normal weight 14,350 pg/mL, p = 0.0049) and leptin/ghrelin ratio (1055 ± 641 vs. 771.36 ± 921 vs. 370.7 ± 257, p = 0.0228). Stratifying the analyses according to the presence of obesity and patients’ gender, differences were found for leptin (p = 0.0020 in women, p = 0.0055 in men) and leptin/ghrelin ratio (p = 0.048 in women, p = 0.004 in men). Mean leptin/BMI and leptin/ghrelin/BMI ratios were significantly higher, and the ghrelin/BMI ratio was significantly lower in obese and diabetic patients. In conclusion, obesity and diabetes are associated with changes not only in the total amount but also in the level of adipokines/kg/m2. Changes appear even in overweight subjects, offering a basis for early intervention in diabetic and obese patients.
