title: Leptin assessment in acute lymphocytic leukemia survivors: role of cranial radiotherapy?
abstract: Leptin has been hypothesized to play a role in the development of obesity in leukemia survivors, particularly those who have received cranial radiotherapy. This cross-sectional study evaluated the relationship between leptin levels and body mass index (BMI) in a sample of 26 acute lymphocytic leukemia survivors of both sexes, treated with and without cranial irradiation, aged 7.6 to 17 years, at a mean 3.4+/-2.0 years off treatment. There were significantly more males among the irradiated group (P<0.001), even though no differences were encountered in pubertal stage (P=1.000), BMI standard deviation score (mean+/-SD) (0.68+/-1.00 vs. 1.19+/-0.78; P=0.164), or leptin concentrations (17.01+/-17.04 vs. 23.3+/-13.4; P=0.309). Nonetheless, there was a positive correlation between the natural logarithm of leptin and BMI standard deviation score [t(22)=2.348, P=0.028], however, no differences were recorded among irradiated and nonirradiated patients [F(2,22)=0.384, P=0.685]. When this relationship was compared between sexes, a significant difference was encountered [F(2,22)=4.907, P=0.017], with males having the strongest association (R(2)males=65.5%, R(2)females=34.7%). Leptin is a reliable adiposity index as it strongly correlates with BMI. Overall, the current data suggest that cranial irradiation did not play a role upon this relationship; however, sex differences influenced positively this correlation.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, Department of Pediatrics, Federal University of São Paulo-UNIFESP/EPM, Brazil.
authors.forename: Adriana Aparecida
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Siviero-Miachon
authors.forename: Angela Maria
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Spinola-Castro
authors.forename: Patricia Debora Cavalcanti
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Tosta-Hernandez
authors.forename: Maria Lucia
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: de Martino Lee
authors.forename: Antonio Sergio
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Petrilli
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016371:Cranial Irradiation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020738:Leptin / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D054198:Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000401:mortality* / Q000532:radiotherapy
chemical_list: D020738:Leptin