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Does leptin predict incident hypertension in older adults?
Caroline K Kramer1, Denise von Mühlen, Elizabeth Barrett-Connor
1Division of Epidemiology, Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093-0607, USA.
Clinical Endocrinology
|February 13, 2010
Summary
Higher leptin levels are linked to a greater risk of developing hypertension in older adults. This finding suggests leptin may play a role in the development of high blood pressure.
Area of Science:
- Endocrinology
- Cardiovascular Disease Research
- Gerontology
Background:
- Leptin's association with blood pressure (BP) is established in experimental and cross-sectional studies.
- Limited prospective data exists on leptin and incident hypertension, particularly in older populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between serum leptin levels and the development of new-onset hypertension.
- To examine this association in a population-based cohort of older men and women.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal cohort study of 602 community-dwelling older adults with normal baseline BP.
- Hypertension defined as BP ≥140/90 mmHg or antihypertensive medication use.
- Serum leptin measured at baseline and incident hypertension assessed over a mean 4.4-year follow-up.
Main Results:
- 106 participants (17.6%) developed hypertension during follow-up.
- Baseline leptin levels were significantly higher in those who developed hypertension (P=0.002).
- Log-transformed leptin independently predicted incident hypertension (OR 1.75, P=0.006) after adjusting for multiple covariates, including BMI.
Conclusions:
- Elevated serum leptin levels are independently associated with an increased risk of developing hypertension in older adults.
- These findings highlight leptin as a potential biomarker for hypertension risk in aging populations.
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