Association of the leptin-to-adiponectin ratio with metabolic syndrome in a sub-Saharan African population

Clarisse Noël A Ayina,Samuel Honoré Mandengue,Philippe Boudou,Eugene Sobngwi,Jean Jacques N Noubiap,Francky Teddy A Endomba,Laurent Serge Etoundi Ngoa,Jean-François Gautier,Jean Claude Mbanya

doi:10.1186/s13098-017-0265-6

Abstract

BackgroundWorldwide there is an increased prevalence of metabolic syndrome mainly due to life-style modifications, and Africans are not saved of this situation. Many markers have been studied to predict the risk of this syndrome but the most used are leptin and adiponectin. Data on these metabolic markers are scare in Africa and this study aimed to assess the association between the leptin-to-adiponectin ratio (LAR) with metabolic syndrome in a Cameroonian population.MethodsThis was a cross-sectional study that included 476 adults among a general population of Cameroon. Data collected concerned the body mass index, waist circumference, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, fasting blood glucose, plasma lipids, adiponectin, leptin, insulin and homeostasis model for assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR). To assess correlations we used Spearman’s analyses and association of the studied variables with metabolic syndrome were done using binary logistic regression analysis.ResultsThe leptin to adiponectin ratio was significantly and positively correlated with the body mass index (r = 0.669, p < 0.0001), waist circumference (r = 0.595, p < 0.0001), triglycerides (r = 0.190, p = 0.001), insulin levels (r = 0.333, p < 0.0001) and HOMA-IR (r = 0.306, p < 0.0001). Binary logistic regression analysis revealed that leptin, adiponectin and LAR were significantly associated with metabolic syndrome with respective unadjusted OR of 1.429, 0.468 and 1.502. After adjustment, for age and sex, the associations remained significative; LAR was also found to be significantly associated with metabolic syndrome (OR = 1.573, p value =0.000) as well as lower levels of adiponectin (OR = 0.359, p value =0.000) and higher levels of leptin (OR = 1.469, p value =0.001).ConclusionThis study revealed that LAR is significantly associated with metabolic syndrome in sub-Saharan African population, independently to age and sex.

Highlights

Worldwide there is an increased prevalence of metabolic syndrome mainly due to life-style modifica‐ tions, and Africans are not saved of this situation
In a recent study we demonstrated that leptin and adiponectin correlate to surrogates of obesity, blood lipids and insulin resistance in sub-Saharan Africans [22]
Data collection For each subject, weight was measured in light clothes with a seca scale balance to the nearest 0.1 kg, height with a calibrated stadiometer, waist circumference (WC) at midway between the lowest rib and the iliac crest and hip circumference at the outermost points of the greater trochanters to the nearest 0.5 cm and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) as waist circumference divided by hip circumference

Summary

Introduction

Worldwide there is an increased prevalence of metabolic syndrome mainly due to life-style modifica‐ tions, and Africans are not saved of this situation. Many markers have been studied to predict the risk of this syndrome but the most used are leptin and adiponectin. Leptin and adiponectin levels have been found to be respectively positively and negatively correlated with obesity, diabetes mellitus, hypertension and metabolic syndrome [12,13,14,15]. Recent studies have demonstrated in the potential of the leptin-to-adiponectin ratio (LAR) as a novel predictor of cardio-metabolic outcomes including metabolic syndrome [3, 15,16,17]. In a recent study we demonstrated that leptin and adiponectin correlate to surrogates of obesity, blood lipids and insulin resistance in sub-Saharan Africans [22].

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