RESUMO
AIM: To study an association of the level of leptin, obesity, and hypertension in a group of ethnic Kyrgyz. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Three hundred and twenty-two Kyrgyz people (145 men and 177 women) who were aged above 30 years and resided in the Kyrgyz Republic were examined. They underwent physical examination involving the collection of complaints and medical history data, objective examination, and anthropometric (height, weight, waist and hip circumference (WC and HC), body mass index (BMI)) and blood pressure (BP) measurements. The persons filled out the Finnish Diabetes Risk Assessment Form including data on vegetable consumption (daily or every other day) and exercise (more or less than 30 min per day). Fasting plasma glucose and serum leptin levels were determined. RESULTS: All the study participants were allocated to 4 groups according the quartile of leptin levels: < 2.2, 2.2-4.2, 4.3-6.34, and > 6.34 ng/ml for men and < 8.05, 8.05-13.4; 13.5-19.09, and > 19.09 ng/ml for women. The persons in the highest leptin quartile were found to have higher BMI, WC, systolic and diastolic BP (SBP and DBP), and blood glucose levels than those in the lowest quartile. Elevated leptin levels were associated with the higher risk of hypertension. Leptin levels correlated with BMI (r = 0.719; p < 0.001 for men and r = 0.74; p < 0.001 for women) and WC (r = 0.684; p < 0.001 for men; and r = 0.649; p < 0.001 for women). There was also a correlation of leptin levels with SBP (r = 0.355; p < 0.001 and r = 0.277; p < 0.001) and DBP (r = 0.426; p < 0.001 and r = 0.228; p < 0.01) in men and women, respectively. CONCLUSION: Leptin levels were associated with obesity and hypertension in the group of ethnic Kyrgyz people.