Background and aims: Leptin, a recently discovered protein, acts as a hormonal feedback signal in regulating adipose tissue mass via hypothalamic mechanisms. Inflammatory bowel disease is often associated with anorexia and weight loss. The aim of the present study was to investigate serum leptin levels during the time course of the acute phase of ulcerative colitis (UC) and to evaluate whether leptin leads to anorexia and bodyweight loss in these patients.
Methods: Serum leptin levels of 29 male patients with acute UC and 17 healthy controls with similar age, sex and body mass index (BMI) were measured. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), BMI, serum albumin and C-reactive protein concentrations, and white blood cell counts were determined.
Results: A significant increase in serum leptin levels was found in patients with acute UC when compared with controls (5.89 +/- 2.06 ng/mL and 3.64 +/- 1.69 ng/mL, respectively; p = 0.001). There was no correlation between leptin levels and BMI.
Conclusions: Our findings in the acute stage of UC suggest that increased serum leptin levels may contribute to anorexia and weight loss. However, an inappropriate increase in leptin levels is independent of body mass in acute UC, and we believe that other factors may be involved in inflammation-induced increases in leptin levels.