RELATIONSHIP OF OBESITY AND BODY-FAT DISTRIBUTION WITH CERULOPLASMIN SERUM LEVELS

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the influence of obesity and body fat distri bution on serum levels of ceruloplasmin, a risk factor for myocardial infarction. DESIGN: Easting concentrations of ceruloplasmin, insulin, glucose, lipid pattern (cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, triglycerides), blood pressure levels, and body fat distribution were determined in a population of nondiabetic subjects. SETTING: Universi ty Hospital Outpatient Clinic. SUBJECTS: 87 consecutive individuals (3 5 men and 52 women), represented by 27 normal weight (BMI: <25.0), 20 overweight (BMI: >25.0-30.0) and 40 obese (BMI: >30.0) subjects. MEASU REMENTS: Serum insulin levels were quantified by radioimmunoassay, pla sma glucose and lipid concentrations by enzymatic assays, and serum ce ruloplasmin by nephelometry. Intra-abdominal thickness was measured by ultrasound technique. RESULTS: Ceruloplasmin levels were significantl y (P<0.001) higher in obese (36.5+/-8.60 mg/dl) than in overweight (30 .4+/-6.17 mg/dl) and normal weight (29.3+/-8.06 mg/dl) subjects. Of se veral variables associated with ceruloplasmin (BMI, waist circumferenc e, WHR, intra-abdominal thickness, triglycerides, cholesterol, LDL-cho lesterol, insulin), only triglycerides (in both men and women) and ult rasound intra-abdominal thickness (in women) maintained a significantl y independent relationship with this protein in multiple stepwise anal ysis. Moreover, both triglycerides and total cholesterol maintained an independent correlation with ceruloplasmin when the data from both me n and women were pooled together. CONCLUSION: This study indicates tha t patients with central obesity have characteristically higher cerulop lasmin serum levels, and that ceruloplasmin concentrations are strongl y correlated with serum triglyceride and cholesterol levels (in both s exes) and visceral fat accumulation (in women), independently of the o ther associated cardiovascular risk factors (insulin and blood pressur e levels). Since ceruloplasmin has been shown to increase in response to the atherosclerotic inflammatory process, and to promote coronarosc lerosis, the determination of serum ceruloplasmin in subjects with cen tral obesity might be a useful tool to identify patients with the high est risk for myocardial infarction.