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Relationship between metabolic syndrome and platelet responsiveness to leptin in overweight and obese patients

International Journal of Obesity volume 31, pages 842–849 (2007)Cite this article

Abstract

Objective:

To verify whether platelet responsiveness to leptin is associated with metabolic syndrome risk factors.

Design:

Cross-sectional study.

Subjects:

We studied 169 consecutive patients, mean age=43.6±9.9 years, with overweight (N=57) or obesity (N=112).

Measurements:

Cluster analysis was used to generate three clusters based on platelet responsiveness to increasing doses of leptin. Profiles of metabolic syndrome risk factors of the three clusters were compared by discriminant analysis.

Results:

Platelet responsiveness to leptin was absent in cluster 1, whereas cluster 3 had the greatest platelet aggregation response to leptin pre-incubation. Plasma leptin levels significantly decreased from cluster 1 to cluster 3 in both gender. Patients in cluster 2 had an intermediate profile of leptin responsiveness. Highest body mass index (BMI) values were more frequent in non-responders, whereas the prevalence of high waist circumference, as well as hypertriglyceridemia and hypertension, increased with increasing responsiveness to leptin from cluster 1 to cluster 3. Pattern of metabolic syndrome risk factors qualified as group specific in 69.0% of the cluster 1, 54.9% of the cluster 2 and 55.8% of the cluster 3. Circulating leptin, waist circumference, plasma triglycerides and BMI defined distinctive patterns of metabolic syndrome risk factors in the clusters.

Conclusions:

In overweight and obese outpatients, metabolic syndrome risk factors parallel to some extent platelet responsiveness to leptin. Such a correlation involves plasma leptin levels, waist circumference, plasma triglycerides and BMI, and may contribute to the excess risk of cardiovascular events in overweight and obese patients.

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Acknowledgements

This work is partially supported by grants from the Italian Ministry for Education, University and Scientific Research.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dipartimento di Medicina Interna e Terapia Medica, Università degli Studi di Messina, Messina, Italy

    F Corica, A Corsonello, A Malara, D De Domenico, L Cannavò, S Foti & A Saitta

  2. Istituto Nazionale di Ricovero e Cura per Anziani (INRCA), Ancona and Cosenza, Italy

    A Corsonello & M Lucchetti

  3. Dipartimento di Patologia Sperimentale e Microbiologia, Università degli Studi di Messina, Messina, Italy

    A Valenti

  4. Dipartimento di Scienze Biochimiche, Fisiologiche e Nutrizionali, Università degli Studi di Messina, Messina, Italy

    R Ientile

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  1. F Corica
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Correspondence to A Corsonello.

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Corica, F., Corsonello, A., Lucchetti, M. et al. Relationship between metabolic syndrome and platelet responsiveness to leptin in overweight and obese patients. Int J Obes 31, 842–849 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijo.0803476

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijo.0803476

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