title: Leptin, insulin and TNF-alpha in weight loss.
abstract: Forty-eight morbidly obese patients were placed on a very low calorie (800 kcal) formula diet (OPTIFAST) for a 10-week period with the goal of achieving 10% weight loss within this time. Weekly serum leptin measurements were performed to determine whether changes in this adipose protein would serve as a useful marker of acute and chronic weight loss compliance. In the basal state, serum leptin averaged 56.9 +/- 5.8 ng/ml (SE) in the 24 successful (S) patients, and 67.7 +/- 6.7 ng/ml in the non-successful (N-S) group. During the first week of weight loss there was little change in leptin despite an average weight loss of 2.2%, but after 4 weeks serum leptin decreased by 36% in the S group, and 20% in the N-S group. After 10 weeks, the S group averaged 13.6% weight loss and the serum leptin decreased to 50% of starting levels. In the 24 N-S patients, the mean weight loss was 7.0%, and serum leptin decreased by 22%, remaining unchanged in the final 6 weeks despite a weight loss of 3.6% in this time. On a week-to-week basis serum leptin changed concordantly with weight loss only two-thirds of the time. In a subgroup of 14 patients (8 S+6 N-S), serial assessments of serum leptin, insulin and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) were performed. Serum insulin levels decreased with weight loss similar in magnitude to that noted for leptin; however, the insulin changes occurred more rapidly. Serum TNF-alpha also decreased with weight loss, but the weekly changes were more erratic, with a concordance rate of only 48%. In summary, serum leptin, insulin and TNF-alpha all decreased during a rapid weight loss program but at differing rates and variability, precluding their usefulness as markers of week-to-week weight loss compliance.
authors.affiliation: Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, UMDNJ, New Jersey Medical School, Newark 07103, USA.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Xenachis
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Samojlik
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Raghuwanshi
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Kirschner
mesh_terms: D015992:Body Mass Index; D004038:Diet, Reducing; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood*; D020738:Leptin / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009767:Obesity, Morbid / Q000097:blood* / Q000178:diet therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D013997:Time Factors; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000032:analysis*; D015431:Weight Loss
chemical_list: D007328:Insulin; D020738:Leptin; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha