Background In subjects with primary arterial hypertension often coexists excessive body mass and metabolic abnormalities like hiperleptinemia, increased insulin resistance, higher total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol concentrations and lower HDL-cholesterol level. The role of each of these abnormalities itself in elevation of blood pressure or arterial hypertension development remains controversial. The aim of this paper was to estimate concentrations of leptin, insulin, lipid profile and body mass index in young population with primary arterial hypertension.
Material and methods 56 patients aged 16-31 with essential arterial hypertension were qualified to this study. The control group consisted of 10 carefully selected healthy people according to sex and age. The anthropometric, blood pressure and heart rate measurements were taken. In blood serum the concentration of leptin and insulin, total cholesterol, triglycerides and LDL and HDL-cholesterol were assessed.
Results In the group of people with arterial hypertension compared to the control group significantly higher values of systolic (138.8 ± 13.2 mm Hg vs. 113.4 ± 8.4 mm Hg) and diastolic (81.9 ± 8.4 mm Hg vs. 71.4 ± 7.3 mm Hg) blood pressure, body mass (87.02 ± 25.10 kg vs. 62.93 ± 12.77 kg) and BMI (27.26 ± 6.29 kg/m² vs. 22.19 ± 3.47 kg/m²) and increased values of triglycerides (1.60 ± 1.28 mmol/l vs. 0.85 ± 0.39 mmol/l) and insulin (37.48 ± 55.77 µIU/ml vs. 16.70 ± 14.67 µIU/ml) concentrations were observed. The assessment did not reveal significant differences in leptin, total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol concentrations and heart rate between the examined and the control group. The positive family history through arterial hypertension occurred more frequently in the examined group (80.3% vs. 40.0%).
Conclusions In young adults the leptin concentration correlates with BMI and insulin concentration but not with arterial hypertension. Subjects with essential arterial hypertension and excessive body mass have higher levels of insulin concentration.