Leptin: adiponectin ratio is an independent predictor of intima media thickness of the common carotid artery

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE - The evaluation of the leptin:adiponectin ratio (L:A) has been suggested as an atherosclerotic index in patients with type 2 diabetes and a useful parameter to assess insulin resistance in patients with and without diabetes. METHODS - We investigated, therefore, the relationship between L:A ratio and intima media thickness (IMT), an independent predictor of cardiovascular disease, in 110 healthy males. RESULTS - L:A ratio was significantly correlated to body mass index, waist, hip, waist-to-hip ratio, systolic blood pressure, IMT, high-density lipoprotein, apolipoprotein A-I, glucose, and the homeostasis model of insulin resistance-revised. No significant correlation was observed with age, diastolic blood pressure, low-density lipoprotein, triglycerides, apolipoprotein B, ApoB/ApoA-I ratio, insulin, alanine transaminase, γ-glutamyl-transferase, and resistin. In addition, when the relationship between IMT and adiponectin or leptin alone was analyzed, only leptin plasma levels significantly associated with IMT (r=0.301, P30 kg/m) showed a significantly higher L:A ratio compared with nonobese subjects (1.20 versus 0.42, respectively, P