The comparison of serum vaspin and visfatin concentrations in obese and normal weight women.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: There is evidence based studies which show that plasma level of visfatin and vaspin in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus elevate in comparison with healthy people. But there is no consistency in plasma visfatin and vaspin concentration between studies done on obese people. For this reason, the aim of this study is to investigate the serum level concentrations of visfatin and vaspin in obese women compared to normal weight women. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The participants of this study consist of 43 women aged 20-50, and 43 healthy women with normal weight as a control group. They were matched for age and physical activity. 24h food recall was used to collect dietary information from subjects. Moreover, blood sampling was taken to measure the blood levels of sugar, lipid profile, vaspin and visfatin. RESULTS: The mean serum level of visfatin was not statistically different between obese and normal weight women. But, the obese women had statistically higher mean serum level of vaspin than normal women (p=0.04). We found no relations between serum levels of vaspin with serum concentration of visfatin. Also, serum levels of these two adipokines were not related to the serum concentrations of fasting glucose, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglyserides and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Also, there was a significant positive relationship between carbohydrate intake and serum visfatin level in women participating to this study (p=0.018, r=0.257). CONCLUSION: The results of this study demonstrated that the level of serum vaspin was significantly higher in obese women. But there were no differences in serum levels of visfatin in comparison to normal weight women. Meanwhile this study demonstrated a positive relationship between serum levels of visfatin with dietary intake of carbohydrate, but no relationship between serum level of visfatin and vaspin in women participating in this study.

Resting energy expenditure may predict the relationship between obesity and susceptibility to depression disorders.

AIM: The aim of the current research was to investigate the association between depressed mood and resting energy expenditure (REE) in a representative sample of obese women. METHODS: Fasting blood sample was collected from 254 obese women to determine biochemical indicators. Body composition was measured using body composition analyzer. REE was measured by means of indirect calorimetry. RESULTS: Comparison between depressed group and healthy obese women demonstrated that the mean of body mass index, fat percent, fat mass, visceral fat and triglyceride were higher in women with depressed mood. CONCLUSION: The level of REE/kg was significantly low in depressed obese women compared to healthy subjects.

Effect of diet-induced weight loss on inflammatory cytokines in obese women.

BACKGROUND: Obesity is associated with lowgrade systemic inflammation which has been linked to the increased risk of cardiovascular disease and Type 2 diabetes in obese patients. AIM: To evaluate changes in pro/anti-inflammatory adipocytokines and metabolic profile after moderate diet-induced weight loss. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Twenty-nine pre-menopausal obese women (body mass index ≥30 kg/m2) aged 21 to 54 years without diabetes, hypertension, or hyperlipidemia, were enrolled in this study. We measured anthropometric parameters, lipid and glucose profiles, interleukin (IL)-6, IL-10, and IL-18 in obese women, who then entered a medically supervised program aimed at reducing body weight by 10% or more. Obese women restricted their caloric intake (by 500-1000 kcal/day) and consumed 50 g/day of a fiber supplement (Slim Last Powder) for 12 weeks. RESULTS: By completing the dietary intervention program, weight (Δ = -10.0%, p<0.0001), body mass index, waist circumference, triceps skinfold thickness, total cholesterol, triglyceride, and fasting plasma glucose significantly decreased, while HDL-cholesterol significantly increased. While plasma levels of IL-6 and IL-18 decreased by 27% after 12 weeks, no significant change was observed in circulating levels of IL-10. CONCLUSION: Our study suggests that an improved body composition induced by restriction of energy intake is associated with favorable serum concentrations of IL-6 and IL-18 in obese women. However, the anti-inflammatory IL-10 is not affected by a moderate weight decrease.

Mutual role of PGRN/TNF-α on osteopenia developing in obesity's inflammation state.

AIM: The aim of the study was to investigate the concentration of PGRN and other inflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-1ß, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, IL-13 and IL-17 in osteopenic and non-osteopenic obese subjects. Bone mineral density in subjects with different PGRN levels were compared to the appraisal of our hypothesis. METHODS: A total of 171 obese participants (BMI ≥30) were included in the study. Analysis of body composition was performed with use of Body Composition Analyzer. All blood samples were collected between 8:00 and 10:00 a.m. following an overnight fasting. The circulating levels of TNF-α, PGRN, IL-1ß, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, IL-13, IL-17, PTH, 25-Hydroxy Vitamin D and crosslaps were measured with the EIA method. BMD was measured by use of dual energy X-ray absorptiometery (DXA) at lumbar spine (vertebrae L2-L4) and hip level. Participants were categorized into osteopenic and healthy group according to the World Health Organization (WHO) criteria. Of 171 participants, 51 (29.82 %) were osteopenic and 120 (70.17%) were healthy. RESULTS: We found significantly higher concentrations of crosslaps, IL-17, IL-6, TNFα and IL-4 and lower concentrations of IL-13, IL-10, PGRN and free fat mass in osteopenic group. With raising the PGRN level, the concentrations of IL-13, IL-10 and 25-(OH) vitamin D were increased and the concentration of TNFα and IL-17 were decreased. Our results demonstrated that the density of bone at both sites of lumbar spine (L2-L4) and hip region was highest in 4th quartile and lowest in first quartile of categorized PGRN concentration. The bone status was gradually improved with raising the PGRN level in parallel at lumbar spine (L2-L4) and hip regions. CONCLUSION: Based on the pathway of effect of TNFα on bone metabolism, it appears that PGRN acts on the bone with mechanisms involving TNFR signaling, disturbance and TNFα performance, similar to the results that have been found in animal model study.

Decreased plasma levels of ceruloplasmin after diet-induced weight loss in obese women.

BACKGROUND: Plasma ceruloplasmin (Cp) has been shown to be a risk factor for cardiovascular disease and also to be associated with obesity. However, it is not known whether weight loss could decrease the plasma Cp levels. AIM: To investigate the effect of diet-induced weight loss on plasma Cp in obese women. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Sixty-seven healthy obese women [age =33.4±8.7 yr, body mass index (BMI) =36.0±4.8 kg/m2] were entered into a medically supervised program aimed at reducing body weight by 10% or more. Weight loss was achieved through a diet providing a daily energy deficit of 500-1000 kcal/day. In addition, all patients were prescribed to use 50 g of a fiber supplement per day. For all subjects, assessment of dietary intake, anthropometric indices, and plasma levels of C-reactive protein and Cp was performed at the first visit and repeated at 12th week of follow-up. RESULTS: By completing the program, weight (Δ=-9.5%, p<0.0001), BMI (Δ=-9.7%, p<0.0001), waist-circumference (Δ=-6.1%, p<0.0001), and triceps skinfold thickness (Δ=-14.9%, p<0.0001) significantly decreased. Plasma Cp significantly decreased after 12 weeks of dietary intervention (33.6±5.6 mg/dl vs 25.2±5.8 mg/dl, p<0.0001). Percent change in Cp was correlated with percent change in waist-circumference (r=446, p=0.015). CONCLUSION: Our study suggests that an improved body composition induced by restriction of energy intake is associated with decreased serum concentrations of Cp in obese women which in turn might have reduced the subjects' risk of developing cardiovascular disease.