Abstract :
Background: Leptin is a peptide hormone that mainly regulate food intake and energy expenditure of
human body. A close correlation between serum leptin levels and the percentage of body fat stores is well estab-
lished. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a common disorder which causes serum liver enzyme eleva-
tion.
Objective: Serum leptin levels were investigated in patient with NAFLD to determine a possible role in
the pathogenesis.
Patients and Methods: Thirty-one patients (20 men, 11 women) with NAFLD at Pramongkutklao
hospital diagnosed by a detailed clinical and laboratory evaluation (biochemical and serological tests of all other
causes of hepatitis) combined with the ultrasonographic imaging of the liver which showed the typical finding of
fatty liver. Thirty one healthy adults enrolled in the study as control with matched for gender, age and body mass
index (BMI). Fasting blood samples were obtained, and serum leptin levels were measured by radioimmunoassay.
BMI, fasting blood glucose, liver function test, lipid profile and insulin resistance were also detected.
Results: Mean serum leptin levels were significantly higher in both men and women with NAFLD than
those in the control group (men 7.6 +/- 2.9 vs 6.1 +/- 1.4, p = 0.049; women 18.4 +/- 9.4 vs 8.4 +/- 2.1, p = 0.005). There
was a significant correlation between serum leptin and BMI in women (r = 0.87, p = 0.000), fasting blood glucose
in men (r = 0.52, p = 0.018). Of the predisposing factors for NAFLD, overweight was observed in 29% of patients,
obesity was observed in 71% and hyperlipidemia in 45%. There was no close correlation between serum leptin and
serum transaminases, gamma glutamyltranspeptidase, triglyceride level or insulin resistance.
Conclusions: The serum leptin levels were significantly higher in patients with NAFLD and was not
explained simply by gender, obesity or insulin resistance. Therefore, elevated serum leptin levels may reflect a
pathogenic role in hepatic steatosis or steatohepatitis.
[Thai J Gastroenterol 2004; 5(2): 87-92 |
file/Thai-Journal-of-gastroenterology-vol-5-no-2-386334.pdf