HYPERLEPTINEMIA, METABOLIC SYNDROME, AND MORTALITY IN OLDER ADULTS

Background: Abdominal adiposity and fat mass increase with aging, and as does insulin resistance which is frequently associated with hyperleptinemia and leptin resistance. Serum leptin may predict risk of metabolic syndrome and mortality among older adults. Objectives: The objectives of the present study were to evaluate the relationship of serum leptin with risk of metabolic syndrome and mortality and to examine these associations in relation to the measures of body adiposity and proinflammatory cytokines. The influence of leptin receptor (I/D) gene polymorphism on diabetes as a contributing cause of mortality was also examined. Gender specific serum leptin cut off values as a biomarker for the risk of metabolic syndrome were determined. Design: The Health, Aging and Body Composition (HABC) study is a prospective cohort of 3,075 older adults aged 70 to 79 years. Body composition, demographic information, biochemical variables including, markers of systemic inflammation, and genetic variation were assessed in detail. Results: Women in quintile 2, 3, 4 and 5 of serum leptin were at significantly lower risk for metabolic syndrome as compared to those in quintile 1 after controlling for confounders. Serum leptin was independently associated with risk of metabolic syndrome after sequentially adjusting for demographic variables (p