Relationship Between Serum Leptin Level and Serum Lipid Profile in Male Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome Patients

High leptin concentrations have been linked to both obesity and an increased risk of dyslipidemia. Previous studies reported higher leptin levels in obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) subjects compared with healthy subjects. As obesity is a determinant of serum lipids and lipoproteins in adults. Leptin might have a correlation with serum lipids and lipoproteins in OSAS subjects. The aim of this study was to examine correlation of leptin with serum lipid profile in male OSAS patients. In this tertiary hospital based cross-sectional study, one hundred thirty nonalcoholic and nonsmoker male subjects were indexed. Subjects with previous history of, liver disorder, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, congestive heart disease, type 2 diabetes mellitus, cancer, end stage renal disease, heart failure, endocrine disorder, on systemic steroid or any continuous medication for last 6 months were excluded from the study. Anthropometric measurements, Polysomnography, fasting lipid profile and leptin assay was done. The data obtained was analysed using SPSS20. Leptin level was observed significantly positively correlated with only hypopnea events per hour in all studied oxygen desaturation indices while a strong significant positive correlation was found between leptin level and all studied obesity indices, BMI, NC, WC, HC and WHR. No correlation was observed between leptin level with total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol and LDL, TG and VLDL. The study brings to light that leptin is related only to obesity related parameters and not with serum lipids and lipoprotein levels in male OSAS subjects. We conclude that in our study setting, leptin was not correlated with serum lipids and lipoproteins in obstructive sleep apnea patients. It seems that, leptin was correlated exclusively only with obesity indices parameters i.e. BMI, NC, WC, HC and WHR of these subjects. © 2014, Association of Clinical Biochemists of India.