OBJECTIVE

To assess the relationship between serum leptin and 24-hour blood pressure (BP) in obese women, according to body fat distribution.

RESEARCH METHODS AND PROCEDURES

A cross-sectional study was carried out in a population of 70 nondiabetic, normotensive, obese women (40 with android and 30 with gynoid type of obesity) and 20 nonobese healthy women as a control group. All subjects underwent 24-hour ambulatory BP monitoring. Blood samples were collected for serum leptin and plasma insulin measurements. Total cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol were also measured.

RESULTS

Serum leptin levels were significantly higher in obese subjects than in controls, and they were more elevated in android obese women than in gynoid ones. Leptin levels were positively related to body mass index (BMI), insulin, and waist and hip circumferences in the android group. Among gynoid subjects, leptin levels showed positive associations with BMI and insulin. In women with android obesity, strong positive correlations (p < 0.001) were found between leptin levels and 24-hour systolic BP (SBP), daytime SBP, nighttime SBP, 24-hour diastolic BP (DBP), and daytime DBP. Multiple regression analyses, including age, insulin and leptin concentrations, BMI, and waist and hip circumferences on 24-hour and daytime SBP and DBP, showed that only leptin levels contributed to the variability of BP.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study shows that serum leptin levels are directly related to 24-hour BP levels in normotensive women with android fat distribution, independently of BMI.