Endocrine Abstracts

Objectives: Leptin is an adipokine responsible for controlling appetite and fat accumulation. The role of leptin in pathophysiology of obesity and diabetes mellitus is an area of active investigation.The aim was to study leptin levels in diabetic and nondiabetic patients with increased body mass index (BMI).

Methods: A sample of 246 patients with type 2 diabetic mellitus and 86 age and BMI-matched controls were examined. The mean age of the participants with diabetes mellitus was 58.24 (53–66) years, healthy adults 51.23 (40–63) years. The mean BMI of diabetic patients was 31.26 (28.08–34.68) kg/m² vs controls 30.4 (27.28–34.92) kg/m². Blood samples were taken from participants after fasting for 12 hours. For diabetic patients antidiabetic drugs were given 12 hours before.

Results: We found no statistical differences in serum leptin levels in the examined groups. Leptin levels in diabetic patients were 32.37 (14.93–43.67) ng/ml, in healthy adults 27.05 (12.42–38.2) ng/ml, P=0.109. These may be the result of increased levels of BMI in diabetic and nondiabetic patients and the absence of significant differences in BMI between two groups. Study of gender differences in fasting serum leptin concentrations revealed statistically higher concentrations of leptin in diabetic females 38.22 (19.61–40.62),ng/ml than in diabetic males 16.09 (9.24–20.3) ng/ml, P=0000.1 and in healthy females 31.02 (17.4–42.98) ng/ml vs healthy males 14.74 (8.19–17.6) ng/ml; P=0.001.

Conclusion: The data revealed no statistical differences in leptin levels in diabetic and non diabetic patients with increased BMI, but suggest gender dichotomy in both groups.