Association of serum leptin with future left ventricular structure and function: The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA)

Abstract Background/objectives Earlier studies differ on whether serum leptin is associated with adverse or beneficial cardiac structure. We determined the association between serum leptin with subsequent cardiac structure and function. Methods MESA is a multicenter longitudinal study of Black, White, Hispanic and Asian-American men and women. Cardiac MRI (CMR) was completed 6 to 8 years after leptin was measured. Left ventricular (LV) mass and volumes were indexed to body surface area. Multivariable linear regression models were constructed to assess the associations between leptin and risk factor adjusted (age, race, gender, systolic blood pressure, anti-hypertensive usage, LDL, HDL, hyperlipidemia medication usage, diabetes, diabetic medication usage, chronic kidney disease, alcohol and tobacco use, adiponectin and BMI) CMR variables. Results Relative to participants in the lowest quintile of leptin concentration, participants in the highest quintile had a lower risk factor adjusted LV mass (-14 g), LV mass index (-9 g/m²), LV end diastolic volume index (LVEDVi) (-7 ml/m²), LV end systolic volume index (LVESVi) (-3 ml/m²) and stroke volume (-5 ml) (all p ≤ 0.05). On regression analysis, a doubling of leptin concentration was associated with lower LV mass (-2.5 g ± 0.7 g), LV mass index (-1.7 ± 0.3 g/m²), LVEDVi (-1.5 ± 0.4 ml/m²), LVESVi (-0.7 ± 0.2 ml/m²) and stroke volume (-1.0 ± 0.5 ml) (all p ≤ 0.05). Conclusions Higher leptin was associated with more favorable subsequent cardiac structure. Further study is needed to assess the prognostic and therapeutic implications of these observations.