Correlation of serum leptin levels with clinical and biochemical parameters in obese children

Authors

  • Lingaraja Gowda C. Patil Department of Paediatrics, JJM Medical College, Davanagere, Karnataka, India
  • Srinivas S. Consultant Gastroenterologist, Kanchi Kamakoti Childs Trust Hospital, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18203/2349-3291.ijcp20201133

Keywords:

Body mass index, Dyslipidemia, Insulin resistance, Leptin, Obesity

Abstract

 

Background: Leptin plays a crucial role in the regulation of appetite, glucose homeostasis and body fat. Authors described various clinical and biochemical parameters of obese children aged 6 to 18 years visiting to outpatient department in a tertiary care hospital followed by their correlation with serum leptin levels. It was a prospective observational study.

Methods: Obese children with Body Mass Index >2 standard deviation according to WHO chart were included. Endocrinological and syndromic obese children were excluded. Authors first compared leptin level of obese children with age and sex matched nonobese children. Followed by correlation of serum leptin levels with various clinical and laboratory parameters in obese children. Pearson’s correlation coefficient was used to compute the strength of relationship of leptin with various quantitative parameters. Mann-Whitney Test was also used when standard deviation was high, to calculate statistical significance.

Results: Leptin concentration was significantly higher in obese children than non-obese. No significant difference in sex distribution was found. Serum leptin levels showed positive correlation with BMI, skin fold thickness and abdominal circumference, and blood pressure. No statistical correlation of leptin with biochemical parameters such as dyslipidemia, fasting blood glucose and insulin resistance was seen.

Conclusions: In this study though serum leptin levels had a positive correlation with various clinical parameters, but no statistically significant correlation was seen with biochemical parameters. There is need for further investigation with a larger sample size on the role of leptin in childhood obesity.

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Published

2020-03-21

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Original Research Articles