Association of leptin with orthostatic blood pressure changes in Parkinson's disease

Leptin is involved in the regulation of blood pressure; however, no studies have evaluated the role of leptin in blood pressure changes during orthostatic stress in PD patients. The aim of this study was to determine whether plasma leptin levels influence orthostatic blood pressure changes in PD patients.

We enrolled 55 patients and 25 age-matched healthy controls in this study. Associations between head-up tilt test measurements and leptin levels were evaluated.

Systolic blood pressure changes during the head-up tilt tests were strongly correlated with leptin levels at baseline and at a 60-degree head-up tilt in PD patients, but not in control subjects. Multiple regression analysis also demonstrated that leptin levels were associated with orthostatic blood pressure changes.

These observations suggest that low leptin levels may be associated with orthostatic hypotension during the head-up tilt test in patients with PD. © 2016 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.