Leptin deficiency due to lipid apheresis: a possible reason for ravenous hunger and weight gain.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate how extracorporal cholesterol lowering therapy affects circulating leptin levels in patients with ravenous hunger after treatment and permanent weight gain.


METHODS
A case report.


METHODS
51 y old caucasian male patient with moderate chronic renal failure.


METHODS
Serum Leptin concentration (RIA, Linco Research Inc, St. Louis, MO, USA), total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein cholesterol, blood glucose levels, calorie intake by food records.


RESULTS
During treatment total cholesterol was reduced by 50%. Serum Leptin levels showed a 42% reduction at the end of treatment, that by far exceeds the physiological diurnal variation. Calorie intake was significantly increased on days of treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
We conclude that this artificial reduction in circulating leptin plays an important role in the pathogenesis of ravenous hunger and weight gain under extracorporal cholesterol lowering therapy in this case.
Leitner
G C
GC
Division of Nephrology, Karl-Franzens University, Graz, Austria. gerhard.leitner@kfunigraz.ac.at
Roob
J M
JM
Bahadori
B
B
Wallner
S
S
Wascher
T C
TC
D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D002149:Energy Intake / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D006815:Hunger; D006949:Hyperlipidemias / Q000097:blood / Q000628:therapy*; D020738:Leptin / Q000097:blood / Q000172:deficiency*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010956:Plasmapheresis / Q000009:adverse effects; D015430:Weight Gain
D001786:Blood Glucose; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D020738:Leptin; D002784:Cholesterol