Serum adiponectin and leptin levels as biochemical indicators in obese individuals with metabolic syndrome

Background: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) shows particularly high prevalence in northern Iraq, with Kirkuk province demonstrating rates of 38.7% among adults. Adipokines, particularly adiponectin and leptin, may serve as valuable biochemical indicators for MetS diagnosis and management. Objective: To investigate serum adiponectin and leptin levels in obese individuals with metabolic syndrome from northern Iraqi population and evaluate their potential as biochemical markers for disease assessment. Methodology: This cross-sectional multi-center study included 180 participants from Kirkuk and Erbil provinces divided into three groups: obese individuals with MetS (n=60), obese individuals without MetS (n=60), and healthy controls (n=60). Serum adiponectin and leptin levels were measured using ELISA at participating medical centers. Results: Obese individuals with MetS showed significantly lower adiponectin levels (3.4 ± 1.4 μg/mL) compared to obese without MetS (5.9 ± 1.9 μg/mL, p<0.001) and healthy controls (9.8 ± 2.7 μg/mL, p<0.001). Leptin levels were significantly elevated in MetS group (52.1 ± 15.3 ng/mL) versus obese without MetS (33.4 ± 9.8 ng/mL, p<0.001) and controls (9.7 ± 3.6 ng/mL, p<0.001). The adiponectin/leptin ratio showed exceptional diagnostic performance (AUC=0.99) with optimal cut-off ≤0.12. Conclusions: Serum adiponectin and leptin levels serve as reliable biochemical indicators in obese individuals with metabolic syndrome from northern Iraqi population. The adiponectin/leptin ratio represents a superior integrated biomarker for MetS assessment in this region.