Hormone May Signal Heart Trouble in Teens

Adolescents with high levels of leptin show early signs of cardiovascular disease

MONDAY, Sept. 23, 2002 (HealthDayNews) -- Healthy teenagers who have high levels of leptin, a hormone linked to obesity, already show the first signs of stiffening in their blood vessel walls.

That's the disturbing conclusion of a study in today's online issue of Circulation.

The loss of elasticity in artery walls is an early sign of cardiovascular disease. This study offers insight into the role of leptin in development of early cardiovascular disease and indicates a physiological connection between obesity and vascular disease, the study authors say.

The study included 294 healthy adolescents, aged 13 to 16, with a range of body mass indexes. Ultrasound tests were used to examine the teenagers' arteries, and they were measured for blood pressure, blood cholesterol, glucose, leptin and the inflammation marker C-reactive protein (CRP).

The researchers found a connection between elevated leptin levels and arterial impairment, regardless of other factors. A 10 percent increase in leptin concentration was associated with a 1.3 percent decrease in arterial elasticity.

Leptin is made by fat cells and regulates appetite and metabolism. Obese people have high leptin levels. Decreased elasticity in blood vessels means a heavier workload for the heart. In healthy people, artery walls contract and expand as blood is pumped through them.

When arteries become stiff, they don't dilate fully, and that causes reduced blood flow and greater exertion for the heart.

More information

Read more about leptin and heart disease.

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