Rett syndrome and plasma leptin levels.
OBJECTIVE
To describe in patients with Rett syndrome (classic and preserved-speech variant) plasma leptin levels and their relationship to BMI (body mass index) and age.


METHODS
Female patients (n = 48; age range 3-20 years) affected by classic Rett syndrome were enrolled into the study. Eleven female patients, age range 3 to 20 years, with preserved-speech variant Rett syndrome were included in the study. Controls were 24 healthy female subjects, age range 3 to 20 years. Blood samples (3 mL) were withdrawn from an antecubital vein in the morning; plasma leptin concentrations were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method.


RESULTS
Patients with classic Rett syndrome and preserved-speech variant had leptin values significantly higher than controls. Leptin concentrations did not significantly differ between patients with classic Rett and preserved-speech variant. Leptin values positively correlated with age and BMI.


CONCLUSIONS
Because in all patients the increased leptin concentrations were not associated to obesity, we hypothesize that in patients with Rett syndrome leptin might participate to clinical manifestations other than weight balance.
Blardi
P
P
Center of Clinical Pharmacology, the Department of Child Neurology and Psychiatry, University of Siena, Siena, Italy. blardi@unisi.it <blardi@unisi.it>
de Lalla
A
A
D'Ambrogio
T
T
Zappella
M
M
Cevenini
G
G
Ceccatelli
L
L
Auteri
A
A
Hayek
J
J
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D020738:Leptin / Q000097:blood*; D015995:Prevalence; D015518:Rett Syndrome / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology; D012307:Risk Factors
D015415:Biomarkers; D020738:Leptin