The Role of Leptin and Inflammatory Markers in Cardiovascular Diseases

Obesity is a leading cause of preventable death, a growing epidemic and major contributor to CVD risk and mortality in developed and developing nations. Obesity is associated with a marked increase in circulating leptin concentrations (Ob gene product) but the pathophysiological mechanisms linking obesity and CVD are poorly defined. Leptin receptors are expressed in atherosclerotic lesions, and leptin signaling is implicated in the promotion of both thrombosis and atherosclerosis in mice models, suggesting a role for leptin in CVD. Leptin is also known to promote pro-inflammatory signaling through cytokines and growth factors that may contribute to the pathogenesis of CVD. Hence, in the present study, we evaluated the values of leptin in CVD patients diagnosed for AMI and also atherosclerosis and the results obtained were compared with that of non-CVD subjects of Chennai based population.