Serum leptin in disabled and non-disabled children in an Indian slum population.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the concentration of serum leptin in a population of malnourished children and to compare the leptin levels of disabled and non-disabled children in this population.


METHODS
Case-control study.


METHODS
Eighty-one children, comprising 41 children with mixed disabilities and 40 non-disabled controls, were selected from 425 children involved in a case-control study assessing the nutritional status of children with disabilities in an Indian slum population.


METHODS
Leptin was measured in the serum samples and was compared with anthropometry (weight-for-age Z-scores (WAZ), height-for-age Z-scores (HAZ), weight-for-height Z-scores (WHZ), body mass index (BMI), mid-upper-arm circumference (MUAC), sub-scapular skinfold thickness and triceps skinfold thickness) and serum acute phase proteins.


RESULTS
The children were very malnourished with WAZ=-2.07 (s.d. 1.15), HAZ=-2.15 (s.d. 1.85) and WHZ=-1.07 (s.d. 0.83). Leptin was extremely low in both the disabled (1.44 ng/ml; 95% confidence interval, CI, 1.23-1.69) and the non-disabled (1.19 ng/ml; 95% CI 1.04-1.35) children. There were no differences between the disabled and non-disabled groups as a whole but 15 children with neurological disabilities had significantly higher (P<0.05) serum leptin (1.65 ng/ml; 95% CI 1.29-2.06) than the non-disabled children. Girls (1.55 ng/ml; 95% CI 1.29-1.87) had significantly higher concentrations of leptin than boys (1.11 ng/ml; 95% CI 1.02-1.22; P=0.002). Leptin did not correlate with any biochemical or anthropometric measures.


CONCLUSIONS
In this population, where malnutrition was common, serum leptin levels were very low and did not correlate with anthropometry.


BACKGROUND
UK Department for International Development; Virgin Airways through the Great Ormond Street Hospital Trustees.
Freeman
A C
AC
Centre for International Child Health, Institute of Child Health, London, UK.
Yousafzai
A K
AK
Filteau
S M
SM
Pai
M
M
D000209:Acute-Phase Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D000886:Anthropometry; D015992:Body Mass Index; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D015362:Child Nutrition Disorders / Q000097:blood / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000453:epidemiology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D006233:Persons with Disabilities; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D020738:Leptin / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D009752:Nutritional Status; D012424:Rural Population; D012737:Sex Factors
D000209:Acute-Phase Proteins; D020738:Leptin