RESUMEN
Objective@#To investigate the effects of the link between overweight/obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) on leptin and visfatin levels.@*Methods@#Males without T2DM and male patients with T2DM hospitalized in Lishui Municipal Central Hospital from January to June, 2017 were enrolled. Subjects' age and medical history of diseases were collected. The height and body weight were measured, and the body mass index (BMI) was estimated. The leptin and visfatin levels were determined, and compared between patients with and without T2DM, and between patients with and without overweight/obesity. The effect of the link between overweight/obesity and T2DM on leptin and visfatin levels was examined using a generalized linear regression model.@*Results@#There were 66 patients with T2DM, with a mean age of (49.70±9.45) years and a mean diabetes duration of (4.99±4.46) years, and there were 64 patients without T2DM, with a mean age of (43.89±0.20) years. The leptin [ (3.17±0.36) vs. (3.03±0.30) ng/mL; t=2.387, P=0.018] and visfatin levels [ (29.14±3.16) vs. (21.81±3.32) ng/mL; t=12.900, P<0.001] were significantly greater in T2DM patients than in patients without T2DM. The leptin level was significantly greater in patients with overweight/obesity than in those without overweight/obesity [ (3.27±0.32) vs. (2.92±0.26) ng/mL; t=6.634, P<0.001], and the visfatin level was significantly lower in patients with overweight/obesity than in those without overweight/obesity [(24.38±5.14) vs. (26.71±4.36) ng/mL; t=2.780, P=0.006]. Generalized linear regression analysis showed interacting effects of overweight/obesity and T2DM on leptin (β=0.286, P=0.003) and visfatin levels (β=2.709, P=0.008).@*Conclusion@#The interaction between overweight/obesity and T2DM affects leptin and visfatin levels.