Background It has been observed that leptin plays a role in the development of cardiovascular risk, independently associated with the development of atherosclerosis, as well as with traditional risk factors such as obesity and arterial hypertension, on the other hand, its participation in carbohydrate and lipid metabolism and in coagulation, makes leptin a promoter of the complications of obesity and therefore increase cardiovascular risk.

Objectives Identify whether there is a relationship between serum leptin concentrations and cardiovascular risk assessed using the Framingham scale.

Methods We studied patients with the diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) according to the ACR/EULAR 2010 criteria; the leptin determination was through an enzyme immunoassay (ELISA) with the TECO® Test Kit. Cardiovascular risk was calculated using the modified Framingham score, as reported by EULAR, the result obtained was multiplied by 1.5. Were considered as risk values of <1% as low; 1–5% moderate and >5% high. Statistical analysis was performed using the SPSS 22.0 package. A p≤0.05 was considered a significant result. Categorical variables were compared with Chi square test. Continuous variables were compared with either the Student's T test or the Mann-Whitney non-parametric test, according the case.

Results We studied 77 patients. The traditional CVR factors that presented the highest prevalence were age, hypoalphalipoproteinemia and obesity; With regard to the prevalence of non-traditional factors, hyperleptinemia, glucocorticoid use and positive RF were predominant. More than ¾ parts of the study population consumed methotrexate and hydroxychloroquine, which have been considered as CVR protective factors. Serum leptin concentrations and CVR factors were compared and found that there was a significant difference between higher leptin values and disease activity (p=0.047), obesity (p=0.038), positive rheumatoid factor (p=0.009), Tobacco (0.009) and metabolic syndrome (p=0.001). Likewise, a significant relationship was found between lower leptin concentrations and hydroxychloroquine consumption (p=0.023). Framingahm CVR was calculated and the result obtained was multiplied by 1.5. The 35.2% of the population studied had a low Framingahm RCV, 38.9% moderate and 25.9% presented a high risk. We compared the level of CVR and serum leptin concentrations, finding that the highest CVR were the leptin values.

Conclusions There is a positive association between CVR and serum leptin concentrations. It is also significantly associated with traditional and non-traditional risk factors

References

1. Raggi P. Epicardial Adipose Tissue as a Marker of Coronary Artery Disease Risk. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2013; 61(13): 1396–139.

2. Correia M, Haynes W. Leptin, obesity and cardiovascular disease. Curr Opin Nephrol Hypertens. 2004; 13 (2): 215–23.

References

Disclosure of Interest None declared