Background: Mounting evidence implicates obesity as a major risk factor for asthma. Leptin and adiponectin produced by fat tissues play a critical role in the regulation of body weight and allergic inflammation.
Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of leptin and adiponectin on development of asthma.
Methods: We measured the leptin and adiponectin in serum from patients with asthma (n = 60) and normal control subjects (n = 30) by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
Results: Logarithmic leptin and adiponectin concentration was not different between asthmatics and control subjects. Although the logarithmic adiponectin level was not different by gender in asthmatics, the logarithmic leptin concentration was significantly higher in females than in male asthmatics (2.41 +/- 0.05 ng/mL vs. 2.01 +/- 0.05 ng/mL, p = 0.001). The leptin/adiponectin ratio was also significantly higher in females than in male asthmatics. The leptin/adiponectin ratio was correlated with body mass index (r = 0.210, p = 0.05) in asthmatics.
Conclusion: Our results suggest that serum leptin and adiponectin may be associated with gender and obesity regardless of development of asthma.