Serum leptin, adiponectin, and resistin among adult patients with acanthosis nigricans: correlations with insulin resistance and risk factors for cardiovascular disease.

Background: Acanthosis nigricans (AN) is linked to obesity and insulin resistance. Major adipokines such as leptin, adiponectin, and resistin are known to be dysregulated in obesity and are key players in the pathogenesis of metabolic syndrome.

Objectives: This study was conducted to assess serum levels of the major adipokines leptin, adiponectin, and resistin, and to study their correlations with the state of insulin resistance and other risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD) among AN patients.

Methods: A total of 115 adult subjects were included in the study; 52 of these had benign acquired AN, and 63 (control subjects) were without AN. Thirty-three of the control group were obese, and 30 were healthy subjects of normal weight. Body mass index (BMI), blood pressure, lipid profile, fasting blood glucose, fasting insulin, serum leptin, adiponectin, and resistin were assessed in all subjects.

Results: We found significant differences between AN patients and obese controls in serum levels of leptin (30.02 ± 15.14 ng/ml vs. 21.07 ± 7.92 ng/ml; P = 0.002), adiponectin (5.55 ± 2.89 μg/l vs. 9.02 ± 2.33 μg/ml; P = 0.00001), and resistin (20.88 ± 3.97 ng/ml vs. 16.82 ± 4.36 ng/ml; P = 0.00003). Significant positive correlations were found between serum leptin and homeostasis model assessment (HOMA) value, insulin, glucose, BMI, cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein. There were also significant negative correlations between adiponectin and HOMA value, insulin, BMI, cholesterol, and leptin among AN patients.

Conclusions: Acanthosis nigricans is a likely forerunner of the finding of metabolic syndrome. High serum leptin and resistin and low serum adiponectin may increase the risk for CVD among AN patients.