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Serum leptin levels in alcoholic liver cirrhosis: relationship with gender, nutritional status, liver function and energy metabolism

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 55, pages 980–988 (2001)Cite this article

Abstract

Objective: To determine serum leptin levels in alcoholic liver cirrhosis and the relationship with gender, nutritional status, liver function, energy metabolism, inflammatory state and refeeding.

Subjects: Thirty-seven hospitalized alcoholic cirrhotic patients (M/F: 24/13), 27 hospitalized patients at risk of malnutrition but with normal liver function (M/F: 15/12) as control patients, and 31 healthy control subjects (M/F: 17/14) participated.

Design: Liver function was assessed from Child–Pugh classification; anthropometric parameters and resting energy expenditure (REE) were measured; caloric intake was evaluated over 5 days; and serum leptin and insulin were assayed. The same protocol was performed after 1 month refeeding in 22 patients. Healthy subjects were studied as controls for anthropometric parameters and serum leptin levels.

Results: Serum leptin levels were higher in male cirrhotic patients than in the other two male groups (P=0.0079) and in the same range in the female groups. They were higher in female than in male subjects in the three groups. In female cirrhotic patients, logarithmically transformed serum leptin levels correlated significantly with fat mass (P=0.0043), insulin levels (P=0.0072), REE (P=0.0133), bilirubin levels (P<0.0001), prothrombin time (P=0.0003) and Pugh score (P=0.0266) in simple regression analysis and with insulin levels (P=0.0137), but not with fat mass (P=0.0761), Pugh score (P=0.4472) and REE (P=0.4576) in multiple regression analysis. In the male cirrhotic and control patients, log (leptin) levels correlated with CRP (C reactive protein) (r=0.365, P=0.0223). Log (leptin) levels did not correlate with caloric intake in any of the groups. Leptin levels (P<0.05) and fat mass (P<0.02) increased with refeeding while liver function improved (P<0.01).

Conclusion: There is a gender difference in regulation of serum leptin level in alcoholic liver cirrhosis. Insulin level is the best determinant of leptin level in female patients while inflammatory state related to alcoholic hepatitis seems to have a greater influence in male patients. Although leptin levels positively correlated with REE in female patients, there is no evidence that leptin reduces caloric intake and fat stores in these patients.

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2001) 55, 980–988

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank Manuela Chiriaux, Laboratory technician, for her help in leptin assay and Valérie Miranda for secretarial assistance.

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Author notes

  1. B Campillo: Guarantor: B Campillo.

  2. B Campillo, E Sherman, JP Richardet and PN Bories: Contributors: BC designed the study, interpreted the data, wrote and finalized the manuscript. ES contributed to the laboratory analysis. JPR helped to collect the data. PNB carried out the laboratory analysis, contributed to data analysis and critically revised the manuscript.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Service de Rééducation Digestive, Hôpital Albert Chenevier, Créteil, France

    B Campillo & JP Richardet

  2. Laboratoire Central, Hôpital Albert Chenevier, Créteil, France

    E Sherman & PN Bories

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  1. B Campillo
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Correspondence to B Campillo.

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Campillo, B., Sherman, E., Richardet, J. et al. Serum leptin levels in alcoholic liver cirrhosis: relationship with gender, nutritional status, liver function and energy metabolism. Eur J Clin Nutr 55, 980–988 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1601255

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