ARTERIAL STIFFNESS AND SERUM ADIPOKINES IN YOUNG GHANAIAN ADULTS WITH METABOLIC SYNDROME

ABSTRACT

Background: Metabolic syndrome is the clustering of risk factors for cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) such as obesity, insulin resistance, hyperglycemia, hypertension and dyslipidemia in an individual. The relationship between metabolic syndrome and arterial stiffness is unclear and the mechanism linking metabolic syndrome to CVDs is largely uncertain even though adipokines such as leptin and adiponectin have been hypothesized to be implicated. This study assessed the levels of leptin and adiponectin in young Ghanaian adults and the relationship of these adipokines with arterial stiffness and metabolic syndrome.

General Aim: The aim of the study was to assess the relationship between metabolic syndrome and arterial stiffness as well as with serum leptin and adiponectin in young adults.

Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted, 364 young adults aged 20-30 years were recruited randomly from Jamestown in the Accra metropolis. The participants were interviewed using a structured questionnaire for socio-demographic and lifestyle information. Anthropometric indices such as body fat, visceral fat, weight, arm circumference, jugulum-symphysis distance, height, waist and hip circumferences were measured. Haemodyamic indices such as systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, mean blood pressure and heart rate were measured. Arterial stiffness was assessed as aortic pulse wave velocity (PWVao) as well as aortic systolic blood pressure (SBPao). 10 milliliters (10 mls) of venous blood was obtained and analyzed for fasting plasma glucose, full blood count and plasma lipids. Leptin and adiponectin were assayed in fasting serum samples.

Results: The overall prevalence of metabolic syndrome among the participants using the NCEP-ATP III diagnostic criteria was 28.3%, with the female participants showing a higher prevalence of metabolic syndrome as compared to their male counterparts (37.4% vs 19.4%). Compared to the female participants, the male participants had high current alcohol use (33.9% vs 9.5%) as well as high current smoking status (13.2% vs 1.6%). The female participants had high levels of aortic pulse wave velocity (PWVao) as well as increased aortic systolic blood pressure (BP) compared to their male counterparts. The participants with metabolic syndrome had increased PWVao and aortic systolic BP as compared to those without metabolic syndrome. However, there was no difference in the levels of leptin and adiponectin between the genders. The study

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also observed no association between the adipokines and arterial stiffness as well as with metabolic syndrome even though the participants with metabolic syndrome had elevated serum leptin and lower serum adiponectin as compared to those without metabolic syndrome.

Conclusion: The prevalence of metabolic syndrome was 28.3% among the study participants using the NCEP-ATP III criteria with the female participants having high prevalence as compared to the males (37.4% vs 19.4%). Metabolic syndrome was associated with arterial stiffness. The female participants had stiffer arteries as compared to their male counterparts. However, there was no association between the adipokines and metabolic syndrome as well as arterial stiffness. It was recommended that lifestyle modifications such as physical activity and healthy diets among others be pursued to help reduce the burden of metabolic syndrome, arterial stiffness and CVDs.