Evaluation of Fat Cell’s Size, Number and Their Mediators in Ischemic Heart Disease Patients

Background: Excessive body fat is associated with increasing risk of ischemic heart disease (IHD). Some fat cell mediators such as adiponectin and leptin have been recognized as possible new IHD risk factors. We assessed the association of fat cell’s size and number, serum leptin and adiponectin with IHD. Methods: The study was designed as a “case control” study in 40 to 60 years old patients with ischemic heart disease symptoms underwent coronary angiography. The cases had significant stenosis in coronary angiography. The control subjects had normal angiography. Serum lipid levels, adiponectin, leptin, and insulin were examined in all cases and controls by Enzymayic method. The biopsies from abdominal and gluteal fat tissue regions were fixed and stained using the Hematoxilin-eosin method. Slides were photographed with a microscopic digital camera. Fat cell’s size and number were assessed using Image tool V3 software. Data were analyzed with SPSS software. Findings: There were no significant difference between cases and controls in fat cell’s size and number, serum leptin and adiponectin. However, serum leptin was correlated not only to waist circumference (r = 0.31, P = 0.036), but also to body mass index (r = 0.32, P = 0.033). Conclusion: Although Leptin and adiponectin are correlated with obesity and are introduced as IHD risk factors; they showed no association with ischemic heart disease in our study. More investigation is required to confirm this relationship in the Iranian population.