Atherogenic Index of Plasma, Castelli Risk Indexes and Leptin/Adiponectin Ratio in Women with Metabolic Syndrome

The aim of the study was to assess the lipid atherogenic risk in women with metabolic syndrome (MS) based on calculating the atherogenic index of plasma (AIP) {(logTriglycerides)/HDL-cholesterol}, Castelli's I and II risk indexes (the ratios total cholesterol/HDL-cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol/HDL-cholesterol, respectively) and the leptin/adiponectin ratio (L/A ratio). Materials and methods: The study comprised of 31 women with MS (mean age 29.03±6.16 years) and 30 age-matched, clinically healthy women (mean age 26.33±4.49 years, P>0.05) forming a control group. The following clinical measurements and laboratory tests were performed on all participants: weight, height, waist circumference, hip circumference, systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP and DBP), fasting plasma glucose (FPG), fasting immunoreactive insulin (IRI), total cholesterol (TC), HDL-cholesterol (HDL-C) and triglycerides (TG). The well-known adipocytokines leptin and adiponectin were determined. Body mass index (BMI), waist-hip ratio (WHR), homeostasis model assessment insulin resistance index (HOMA index), LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C), AIP, Castelli' s I and II risk indexes and the L/A ratio were calculated. Results: The women with MS had significantly higher weight, BMI, waist circumference, hip circumference, IRI, HOMA index, TG, leptin, SBP and DBP compared to the healthy women, while WHR, FPG, TC, LDL-C and adiponectin were similar in both of the studied groups. AIP (-0.006±0.32 vs. -0.212±0.26, P=0.008), Castelli's risk index I (4.39±1.21 vs. 3.64±1.07, P=0.01) and Castelli's risk index II (2.82±1.01 vs. 2.31±0.92, P=0.04) as well as the L/A ratio (5.53±6.05 vs. 2.40±2.35, P=0.02) were found to be significantly higher in the women with MS compared to the healthy women. Conclusion: The results from this study contribute to understanding that women with MS carry a higher atherogenic risk. The plasma L/A ratio has been proposed as a preferential marker of atherosclerosis susceptibility compared to leptin and adiponectin alone.