Leptin : adiponectin ratio as an atherosclerotic index in patients with type 2 diabetes : relationship of the index to carotid intima–media thickness

Excerpt

To the Editor: Diabetic metabolic abnormalities induce vascular dysfunction that predisposes diabetic patients to atherosclerosis [1]. Complications of atherosclerosis cause much of the disability and most of the mortality in diabetic patients [1]. Clinical atherosclerotic manifestations in diabetes occur primarily in vascular beds such as extracranial carotid arteries and coronary arteries [1]. On the other hand, two adipocytokines, leptin and adiponectin, play important roles in the metabolic regulation of obesity and obesity-related complications [2]. In obese subjects, plasma leptin concentrations are elevated and adiponectin concentrations decreased. Consequently, it is speculated that leptin could accelerate and adiponectin restrain the development of atherosclerosis [2]. Recently, Satoh et al. [2] reported that the plasma leptin : adiponectin ratio (L : A) is correlated with pulse wave velocity values and may be a useful biomarker for atherogenesis in obese type 2 diabetic patients. However, the significance of the L : A in diabetes has still not been thoroughly investigated. …