New obesity indices and adipokines in normotensive patients and patients with hypertension: comparative pilot analysis.

We compared the obesity parameters and selected adipokines-leptin, adiponectin, and resistin-in obese patients with hypertension and normotensive patients. A total of 67 nondiabetic obese outpatients were divided into 2 groups: A-hypertensive and B-normotensive. Serum levels of leptin, adiponectin, resistin, and insulin were measured. Weight, height, waist circumference, and hip circumference were measured to calculate waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), weight-to-height ratio, visceral adiposity index, and body adiposity index (BAI). Among patients with hypertension, significant positive correlations were observed between leptin and body mass index and BAI (r = .31 and r = .63, respectively). In normotensive patients, leptin positively correlated with BAI (r = .73, P < .01) and negatively with WHR (r = -.55, P < .0001); adiponectin negatively correlated with WHR (r = .38, P < .01) and BAI (r = .52; P < .0001), and resistin negatively correlated with WHR (r = -.36, P < .05). In conclusion, visceral obesity and leptin are associated with hypertension in obese patients.