INSIGHTS ON ADIPOKINES AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY IN OBESITY PHENOTYPES

Obesity activates multiple pathways of metabolic syndrome (MetS), therefore the balance between adiponectin and leptin, hormones that are secreted by adipocytes, is of great interest in better managing and understanding this complex disease. The aim of our study was to characterize obesity phenotypes by circulating levels of adipokines and insulin, followed by a better understanding of the influence a lifestyle modification, like physical activity, may have upon the values of these biomarkers. Material and methods: Our cross-sectional study included 104 patients organized in 4 groups, based on BMI and metabolic syndrome (MetS): metabolically healthy obese (MHO), metabolically unhealthy obese (MUO), metabolically healthy non-obese (MHNO), metabolically unhealthy non-obese (MUNO). Unhealthy phenotypes were characterized by the presence of MetS and obesity by a BM1 >= 30 kg/m(2). All patients underwent insulin, adiponectin and leptin measurements, as well as MetS criteria investigations. After completion of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire, participants were graded with a low, moderate or high activity level. Results: All obesity parameters are significantly different between obese and non-obese patients, with leptin-adiponectin ratio (LAR) having the highest statistical power (p<0.001, eta(2)=0.15). Adiponectin, insulin, and HOMA-IR were statistically different between MHO and MUO, with no significance between MHNO and MUNO. Adiponectin levels are not significantly associated with a class that describes a specific physical activity level, whereas leptin levels are decreased in non-obese patients once they were more physically active (p=0.042). Relationship between physical activity level and obesity markers in obesity phenotypes did not conclude with any significant results. Conclusions: Adiponectin levels are higher in MHO phenotype than in MUO phenotype even though both groups present similar BM1 means, therefore we can consider adiponectin a possible biomarker for metabolic syndrome in obese patients. Also, adiponectin, LAR, insulin, and HOMA-IR levels do not change in physically active patients, whereas leptin values decrease significantly in non-obese subjects that engage in physical activity.