Abstract: The aim of the current study was to analyze the correlation of leptin, adiponectin and their ratio with obesity-related clinical, anthropometric, hormonal and biochemical variables in adolescents from Bulgarian origin. Patients and methods: The study population included 51 overweight and 21 normal weight schoolchildren – 40 boys and 32 girls, aged 16-19 years. Waist circumference (WC), Body Fat Mass (BFM) and the Body Fat Percentage (BFP) were measured, and Body Mass Index (BMI) and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) were calculated. The blood pressure (BP) - systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP), was also measured. Circulating levels of fasting glucose, total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoproteins (HDL-C), triglycerides (TG), uric acid, fasting insulin, leptin and adiponectin were determined and leptin/adiponectin (L/A) ratio was calculated. Results: In order to find the relationship between leptin and BMI we divided the patients into 3 subgroups according to the BMI. In the overweight (BMI=25-29.9 kg/m²) and obese adolescents (BMI≥30 kg/m²) leptin concentration was significantly higher, compared to the normal weight ones. In 64% of the overweight ones (n=28) leptin levels were below 25 ng/ml, in 21% leptin was in the range between 25-50 ng/ml, and in 14% leptin was over 50 ng/ml. In the obese adolescents (n=23), 13% of the subjects had leptin <25 ng/ml, in 57% of them leptin levels were in the range between 25-50 ng/ml, and in 30% the value of leptin was over 50 ng/ml. We did not find gender specific differences in the distribution of patients in the different subgroups according to the levels of leptin (p=0.114), adiponectin (p=0.922). The mean L/A ratio was also similar between the boys and the girls. Leptin correlated significantly with insulin (p<0.001), BMI (p<0.001), WC (p<0.001), WHR (p=0.001), BFM (p<0.001), BFP (p<0.001), SBP (p<0.001), and DBP (p<0.001). Interestingly, adiponectin did not show any significant correlations with all of the investigated clinical, anthropometric and biochemical variables. Conclusions: Our results demonstrate a positive relationship between leptin levels, L/A ratio and parameters of metabolic syndrome, including BP values in normotensive adolescents with overweight/obesity. Leptin and L/A ratio could be used as markers of metabolic syndrome development in adolescents. Obesity and related disturbances put these children at a higher cardiovascular risk.

Abstract: The aim of the study was to compare kisspeptin and GALP levels between women with and without PCOS and to analyze the correlation between kisspeptin, GALP and PCOS-related hormonal and metabolic disturbances. Patients and methods: The study included 87 PCOS women, and a control group of 42 healthy women with a regular menstrual pattern and no signs of hyperandrogenisms. Circulating levels of luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), testosterone (T), sex-hormone binding globulin (SHBG), thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), prolactin, fasting insulin, kisspeptin and GALP were measured. Results: Kisspeptin (P<0.05) and GALP (P>0.05) levels were significantly higher in the PCOS women than in the controls. In the normal weight PCOS women kisspeptin correlated positively with GALP (P<0.01), waist circumference (WC) (P<0.05) and free androgen index (FAI) (P<0.05) and negatively with fasting glucose (P<0.05). In this group GALP correlated positively with WC (P<0.05) and kisspeptin (P<0.01). In the overweight PCOS women kisspeptin correlated positively with insulin (P<0.05), T (P<0.05), SHBG (P<0.01) and FAI (P<0.001). In this group there was a significant positive correlation between GALP and LH (P<0.05), LH/FSH ratio (P<0.05), T (P<0.01) and FAI (P<0.01). Conclusions: Our results indicate that GALP and kisspeptin are increased in women with PCOS and positively associated with hyperandrogenism accompanying this condition. GALP and kisspeptin probably are involved in the interaction between reproduction and metabolic state, affecting the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis.