Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Multicenter Study
. 2013 Oct;27(10):617-22.
doi: 10.1038/jhh.2013.24. Epub 2013 Mar 28.

Higher leptin is associated with hypertension: the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis

M A Allison  1 , J H Ix, C Morgan, R L McClelland, D Rifkin, D Shimbo, M H Criqui
Affiliations
Multicenter Study

Higher leptin is associated with hypertension: the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis

M A Allison et al. J Hum Hypertens. 2013 Oct.

Abstract

Adipokines are secreted from adipose tissue, influence energy homeostasis and may contribute to the association between obesity and hypertension. Among 1897 participants enrolled in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis, we examined associations between blood pressure and leptin, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα), resistin and total adiponectin. The mean age and body mass index (BMI) was 64.7 years and 28.1, respectively, and 50% were female. After adjustment for risk factors, a 1-s.d.-increment higher leptin level was significantly associated with higher systolic (5.0 mm Hg), diastolic (1.9), mean arterial (2.8) and pulse pressures (3.6), as well as a 34% higher odds for being hypertensive (P<0.01 for all). These associations were not materially different when the other adipokines, as well as BMI, waist circumference or waist-to-hip ratio, were additionally added to the model. Notably, the associations between leptin and hypertension were stronger in men, but were not different by race/ethnic group, BMI or smoking status. Adiponectin, resistin and TNFα were not independently associated with blood pressure or hypertension. Higher serum leptin, but not adiponectin, resistin or TNFα, is associated with higher levels of all measures of blood pressure, as well as a higher odds of hypertension, independent of risk factors, anthropometric measures and other selected adipokines.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

CONFLICTS

The authors have no financial conflicts of interest to report.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1. ASSOCIATIONS BETWEEN QUARTILES OF LEPTIN AND DIFFERENT MEASURES OF BLOOD PRESSURE
Referent Category = Quartile 1; Q2 = 2nd Quartile, Q3 = 3rd Quartile, Q4 = 4th Quartile SBP = Systolic Blood Pressure, DBP = Diastolic Blood Pressure, MAP = Mean Arterial Pressure, PP = Pulse Pressure Model 1: age, gender, race Model 2: model 1 + smoking, education Model 3: model 2 + cystatin C, diabetes, dyslipidemia, fibrinogen Model 4: model 3 + body mass index All values significant at p < 0.05
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2. ODDS OF HYPERTENSION BY QUARTILE OF LEPTIN
Reference Group = First quartile of leptin Model 1: age, gender, race Model 2: model 1 + smoking, education Model 3: model 2 + cystatin C, diabetes, dyslipidemia, fibrinogen Model 4: model 3 + body mass index All values significant with p < 0.01
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Ogden CL, Carroll MD, Kit BK, Flegal KM National Center for Health Statistics, editor. Prevalence of obesity in the United States, 2009–2010. Hyattsville, MD: 2012.
    1. Grundy SM. Obesity, metabolic syndrome, and cardiovascular disease. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2004;89(6):2595–600. - PubMed
    1. Leong KS, Wilding JP. Obesity and diabetes. Best Practice & Research Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. 1999;13(2):221–237. - PubMed
    1. Jones DW, Kim JS, Andrew ME, Kim SJ, Hong YP. Body mass index and blood pressure in Korean men and women: the Korean National Blood Pressure Survey. Journal of hypertension. 1994;12(12):1433–7. - PubMed
    1. Jones DW. Body weight and blood pressure. Effects of weight reduction on hypertension. American journal of hypertension. 1996;9(8):50s–54s. - PubMed

Publication types

MeSH terms