Leptin Resistance and Hypertension in Children with Metabolic Syndrome

Background. Metabolic syndrome (Mets) is a group of risk factors which include abdominal obesity, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, glucose intolerance and hypertension. Mets is diagnosed from the age of 10 years old according to IDF criteria if there are three and more criteria listed above are present. The high waist-to-height ratio (WtHR) (≥0.5) is associated with the increased risk of Mets. Leptin, like other neuropeptides, is a possible link between obesity and the development of hypertension.

Objective: The aim of this work is to compare the leptin resistance in children with Mets associated with hypertension and without one.

Methods. A cross-sectional study was accomplished in a group of 78 children (10-17 years old) with Mets. Patients were classified into main group (38 patients with Mets and hypertension) and comparison group (40 children with Mets without hypertension). In addition to the criteria for metabolic syndrome for the patients the waist-to-height ratio (WtHR), serum leptin level were determined and leptin resistance was calculated. The statistical analysis was done using the SPSS 22.0.

Results: According to the results of the examination at the main group average values of serum leptin level were significantly higher (p <0.05) than in the comparison group (29.9±0.74 and 20.0±0.52). Leptin resistance were determined in 57.9% of patients with arterial hypertension and only 25% in the group without it (p <0.05). There was a positive correlation between leptin and WtHR≥0.5 r= 0.575.

Conclusion. Leptin resistance and WtHR≥0.5 are assosiated with the increase of cardiovascular risks of Mets in children.