Methods The investigation included 218 children with obesity/overweight at the age of 10–18 years (n=108; 49,5% – hypertensives and n=110; 50,5% – normotensives). There was not determined statistically significant difference in the groups according to the age and sex (p>0,05). The control group included 50 normotensive children with normal weight of similar age – 26 boys and 24 girls. Serum level of leptin and adiponectin was determined by ELISA method.

Results The lowest serum level of adiponectin (5,79±0,12 ng/ml), but the highest one of leptin (15,77±0,66 ng/ml) was defined in children both with overweight/obesity and hypertension. Normotensive children but with overweight or obesity had lower values of adiponectin (7,12±0,18 ng/ml) and higher ones of leptin (11,45±0,51 ng/ml) in comparison with the control group (10,95±0,33 ng/ml and, respectively, 7,93±0,23 ng/ml). Serum values of leptin were higher in girls, as compared to boys (20,79±1,48 vs 15,23±1,0 ng/ml; p<0,001), but the ones of adiponectin did not show any significant difference of sex. Leptin positively correlated with the body mass index (r=+0,68; p<0,001), waist circumference (r=+0,75; p<0,001) and tension values (r=+0,49; p<0,001), but adiponectin correlated negatively with the body mass index (r=-0,65, p<0,001), waist circumference (r=-0,62; p<0,001) and tension values (r=-0,47; p<0,001). The negative correlation of adiponectin and leptin (r=-0,59; p<0,001) is also of interest.

Conclusion Faithful relation between hypoadiponectemia, hyperleptinemia and obesity, especially abdominal one, as well as tension values show that these adipokines have an important role in the development of the arterial hypertension in children with obesity/overweight and can be used as direct biomarkers of them.