Abstract

Objective: To assess leptin status and biochemical parameters in type 2 diabetic males from Gaza Strip. Methods: The study comprised 66 type 2 diabetic males and 66 healthy non-diabetic controls from Gaza Strip. Patients and controls were age matched. Data were obtained from questionnaire interview and biochemical analysis of blood and urine samples. Results: Diabetes was associated with family history and diet. The main self-reported complications among patients were retinopathy and cardiovascular disease. Serum leptin was significantly increased in diabetic patients compared to controls (8.1 ± 7.6 versus 5.9 ± 4.0 ng/ml, P = 0.044). Similarly, serum glucose, cholesterol, triglycerides and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) were significantly higher in diabetic s than controls. Conversely, serum urea, creatinine and high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) were significantly lower in diabetics. Urinary albumin, albumin/creatinine ratio (ACR) and glomerular filtration rate (GFR) were significantly increased in diabetics whereas urinary creatinine was significantly decreased. In diabetic patients, leptin showed positive significant correlation with body mass index, BMI (r = 0.669, P < 0.001), triglycerides (r = 0.412, P = 0.001) and urinary albumin (r = 0.276, P = 0.025) and negative significant correlation with urinary creatinine (r = - 0.327, P = 0.007). Conclusion: Hyperleptinaemia and alterations with significant values in biochemical parameters were found in type 2 diabetic patients where leptin was positively correlated with BMI, triglycerides and urinary albumin, and negatively correlated with urinary creatinine.