Endocrine Abstracts

Obesity is considered as a state of chronic, systemic low-grade inflammation. Likely causes include infectious factors, leptin, cigarette smoking, low serum HDL-cholesterol and high serum triglycerides. No definitive confirmation on the causative factor is available so far.

The aim of the study was to evaluate serum levels of C-reactive protein (hs-CRP, sensitivity 0,085 ng/L), IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α and its soluble type 2 receptor (sTNF-αR-2) in visceral obesity (VO) as well as to assess relationships between proinflammatory cytokines and adipocytokines, i.e. leptin (LEP), adiponectin (ADN) and the previous Chlamydia pneumoniae (ChP) infection or infectious viral diseases of the childhood. The obese group was composed of 48 women with VO (BMI>30 kg/m²) and the control group of 42 normal-weight (NW) women. The inclusion criteria were: age 20–45 yrs., normal menstruation pattern. The exclusion criteria were: chronic infection, systemic autoimmune disorder, acute viral/bacterial infection, trauma, surgical treatment, treatment with NSAIDs, corticosteroids or statins during the last 6 months. IgG antibodies against Ch. trachomatis, pneumoniae and psittaci were measured. Body composition was assessed by bioimpedance method (BIA). No difference was observed in levels of IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α and sTNF-αR2 between VO and NW women. However, levels of hs-CRP and LEP were higher and levels of ADN lower in VO than those in NW women. 27.1% of the obese had normal hs-CRP (1.14±0.5 ng/L), but the remaining 72.9% had elevated hs-CRP (5.2±2.5 ng/l). Both subgroups of VO did not differ in terms of anthropometric parameters, IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α and sTNF-αR2 levels, percentage of ChP-seropositive subjects and prevalence of viral diseases of the childhood. Although the subgroup with elevated hs-CRP had higher BF and %BF, absolute and adiposity-corrected LEP and AND levels were comparable. Cigarette smoking, low HDL-cholesterol and high TG did not influence mean hs-CRP levels in VO. The answer to the question on possible factors causing CRP elevation in ca. 70% of the obese remains unclear and warrants further study.