ABSTRACT
Obesity is regarded now as neurohormonal disease results from the new mechanism of its pathophysiology, that is after the discovery of leptin, so that we have measured this hormone in the serum using a radioirnmunoassay kit, in addition to other biochemical parametres: Glucose, cholesterol, triglyceride. Free fatty acids, TSH, and insulin for normal weight subjects [BM between 18- 25 kg/m° and obese subjects [BMI = 30 Kg/m°] and obese subjects with diabetes type II. The mean [ +/- SD] serum leptin concentrations were higher in obese subjects than in the normal weight subjects. Serum leptin did not vary with age but it differed according to the sex, it was higher in women than in men. Serum leptin concentrations in specimens from lean and obese adults correlated directly with BMI [r=0.74, P<0.001].Leptin concentrations were significantly correlated with fasting insulin in insulin-resistance [fasting insulin > 17.9 micro U/ml] and non insulin-resistance [fasting insulin <17.9 micro U/ml] obese male [r0.51, P<0.001] and non insulin obese female [r=0.35, P<0.001] and that suggests a possible role in insulin resistance or hyper insulinaemia. Leptin concentrations were high in obese with non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus [NIDDM] and that indicates for the possible role of overweight accompanied with this disease in the increased Leptin values. Metabolic variables were correlated with central obesity [defined by WHR The mean concentration of triglyceride and free fatty acids, which are important risk factor for cardiovascular diseases and diabetes, were significantly correlated with central obesity