Decreased serum leptin levels in women with uterine leiomyomas.
OBJECTIVE
To analyze the possible involvement of leptin in uterine leiomyomas.


METHODS
Serum leptin levels, determined by radioimmunoassay, were compared in myomatic (n = 50) and the normal (n = 50) women.


RESULTS
A significant correlation was found between serum leptin levels and body mass index in both the myomatic women (r = 0.76, p < 0.001) and the normal women (r = 0.56, p < 0.001). Serum leptin levels in the myomatic women (9.3 +/- 0.6 ng/mL) were significantly lower (p < 0.001) than those in the normal women (13.6 +/- 1.2 ng/mL). In addition, the ratios of serum leptin levels/body mass index in the myomatic women (0.38 +/- 0.02) were significantly lower than those in the normal women (0.57 +/- 0.04) (p < 0.001). A significant correlation was found between the ratios of serum leptin levels/body mass index and body mass index (r = 0.59, p < 0.001) in the normal women, but not in the myomatic women (r = 0.27, p = 0.061).


CONCLUSIONS
The lower plasma leptin levels observed in the women with myomas were independent of body mass index, and unlike the normal women there was no significant up-regulation of leptin production in response to increased adiposity.
Chan
Te-Fu
TF
Department of Obstetrics, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, Republic of China.
Su
Jinu-Huang
JH
Chung
Yueh-Fang
YF
Chang
Hsueh-Ling
HL
Yuan
Shyng-Shiou F
SS
D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007889:Leiomyoma / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology; D020738:Leptin / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D014594:Uterine Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology
D020738:Leptin