The potential effects of metformin and/or sitagliptin on leptin/adiponectin ratio in diabetic obese patients: a new therapeutic effect.

Objective: To explore how metformin, alone or in conjunction with sitagliptin, affects the leptin/adiponectin ratio in obese type 2 diabetes mellitus patients.

Methods: The case-control study was conducted from March to August 2021 at the Department of Clinical Pharmacology, College of Medicine, Mustansiriyah University, Baghdad, Iraq, and comprised adult, obese type 2 diabetes mellitus patients of either gender and age-matched healthy controls. The MT group included patients taking metformin 1g/day, MTS group had patients taking metformin 1g/day plus sitagliptin 100mg/day, and the control group comprised healthy subjects. Serum levels of human leptin and adiponectin were recorded along with body mass index, blood pressure, lipid profile and glycaemic indices. Data was analysed using SPSS 20.

Results: Of the 90 subjects, 62(69%) were patients; 36(40%) in MT group and 26(29%) in MTS. The control group had 28(31%) individuals. The mean age of the patient groups was 48.62±8.17 years, and male: female ratio was 49:41, mean age of controls was 47.64± 5.77 years with the same male to female ratio as that of the patients. Leptin levels were higher in patients compared to controls (p=0.002), and leptin levels were lower in MTS (89.93±9.51) than MT group (93.69±13.69). Patients in MT (30.57±6.31) and MTS (32.99±7.10) groups had lower adiponectin levels than controls (48.83±9.21) (p=0.001). MT and MTS patients had a greater leptin-to-adiponectin ratio than controls (p=0.0001).

Conclusions: Leptin-to-adiponectin ratio could be a viable marker for assessing risks related to type 2 diabetes mellitus and other health conditions.