Association of adiponectin, ghrelin, and leptin with metabolic syndrome and its metabolic components in Sasang constitutional type

Introduction: Mounting evidence indicates a significant relationship between Sasang constitutional types (SCTs) and metabolic syndrome (MetS), and between metabolic hormones and risk of MetS. However, studies have not yet examined whether the impact of metabolic hormones on MetS differs according to SCT. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the association of adiponectin, ghrelin, leptin with MetS and metabolic components is affected by SCTs. Methods: A total of 2370 subjects (1201 men and 1169 women) who participated in the Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study-Ansan cohort between 2007 and 2008 and completed the health-related questionnaire, anthropometric evaluation, and biochemical measurements were included in the analysis. Each constitutional type was defined using an integrated diagnostic method. Total adiponectin, ghrelin, and leptin levels were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay or radioimmunoassay. Results: Tae-eum (TE) type had the highest frequency of MetS (29.9%). In multivariate logistic regression analysis adjusted for possible confounders, adiponectin (OR = 0.88, 95% CI: 0.84–0.92; P < 0.0001) and leptin levels (OR = 1.05, 95% CI: 1.01–1.08; P = 0.015) were significantly associated with MetS in TE type, whereas only adiponectin levels were significantly associated with MetS in So-yang type (OR = 0.81, 95% CI: 0.73–0.90; P < 0.0001). Ghrelin levels were not significantly associated with MetS in all SCTs. Conclusions: This population-based study showed different association of adiponectin, ghrelin, and leptin with MetS and its components according to SCT.