Year: 2024 | Month: March | Volume: 14 | Issue: 3 | Pages: 193-199
DOI: https://doi.org/10.52403/ijhsr.20240328
Assay of Leptin and Adiponectin Levels in Adult Obese Patients in Port Harcourt, Nigeria
Nwamaka N. Igwe1, Chituru G. Orluwene2, Anthonia A Okerengwo3
1Department of Haematology, Blood Transfusion and Immunology, Faculty of Basic Clinical Science, University of Port Harcourt, Port Harcourt, Nigeria.
2Department of Chemical Pathology, Faculty of Basic Clinical Science, University of Port Harcourt, Port Harcourt, Nigeria.
3Department of Haematology, Blood Transfusion and Immunology, Faculty of Basic Clinical Science University of Port Harcourt, Port Harcourt, Nigeria.
Corresponding Author: Chituru G. Orluwene
ABSTRACT
Background: Low-grade inflammation, characterized by increase of pro-inflammatory cytokines and decrease of anti-inflammatory cytokines, has been implicated in the pathogenesis of obesity and its associated complications. The study determined the levels of Adipokines (Leptin and Adiponectin) in obese and non-obese subjects with or without hypertension in a Nigerian population, in comparison with healthy (control) subjects.
Method: This cross-sectional study involved 60 physician diagnosed obese subjects attending the Endocrine and cardiology Clinics of the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, and 60 sex matched non-obese subjects recruited from the blood donor centre. Obese subjects were divided into two groups: subjects with (30) and without (30) hypertension based on Physician assessment. Controls were also divided into two groups: controls with (30) and without (30) hypertension based on Physician assessment. Serum levels of leptin and adiponectin were evaluated using commercial Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technique.
Result: The results showed that the mean serum level of leptin was significantly (P<0.05) higher in the subjects (1598.65+151.1; 2833.35+297.1) compared to controls (1408.28+503.4;1269.85+511.3). Also, the mean serum level of adiponectin was significantly (P<0.05) lower in the subjects (6.64+4.0;7.12+1.3) compared to controls (8.34+5.4;18.25+8.2).
Conclusion: The results suggest that serum levels of leptin and adiponectin were altered, and that obesity and hypertension are associated with elevated and decreased serum concentration of leptin and adiponectin, respectively in the Nigerian population studied, which greatly affects the physiology of the immune cells and hereby generating a pathogenic environment in obesity and hypertension.
Key words: Obesity, Hypertension, Adipokines, Leptin, Adiponectin.