Correlation of Adiponectin and Leptin with Insulin Resistance: A Pilot Study in Healthy North Indian Population

Abstract

The increasing incidence of obesity, leading to metabolic complications is now recognized as a major public-health problem. Insulin resistance is a central abnormality of the metabolic syndrome, or syndrome X, originally hypothesized by Reaven Insulin resistance is more strongly linked to intra abdominal fat than to fat in other depots. Adipose tissue secretes numerous factors (adipokines) known to markedly influence lipid and glucose/insulin metabolism, oxidative stress, and cardiovascular integrity. Some of these adipokines have been shown to directly or indirectly affect insulin sensitivity through modulation of insulin signaling and the molecules involved in glucose and lipid metabolism. A pilot study was conducted with 80 healthy subjects who were non diabetic, non hypertensive and having no family history of hypertension, the aim was to evaluate the correlation of adiponectin and leptin levels with obesity and insulin resistance markers in healthy north Indian adult population. Serum leptin, adiponectin and insulin was estimated by sandwich ELISA method. In our study, Leptin correlated significantly with BMI (P value of 0.0000), WC (P value=0.007), and HC (P value=0.000). leptin showed significant positive correlation with fasting insulin (P value 0.002), post prandial insulin (P value=0.000) and HOMA-IR (P value=0.002). Adiponectin showed significant positive correlation with triglycerides (P value=0.038), strong negative correlation with HDL-cholesterol (P value=0.017). Serum concentrations of leptin are associated with central body fat distribution. Insulin resistance and adiponectin is associated with dyslipidemia and these all disorders may ultimately lead to metabolic syndrome.