Serum leptin levels and irritable bowel syndrome: a new hypothesis.
OBJECTIVE
This study was undertaken to investigate the relationship between serum leptin levels and the development irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).


BACKGROUND
Stress has been known as an important causative factor in IBS. Various studies have indicated the relationship between serum leptin levels and stress levels. So searching the relationship between the production and level of this hormone and development of IBS may help to understand the pathophysiology of the disease.


METHODS
This was a case-control study. Eighty IBS patient and 80 controls were recruited. All participants were asked to fill in a questionnaire included demographic information and medical history and also a stress questionnaire. Serum leptin level was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method. Chi-square, Student t test, Pearson correlation and logistic regression were used for investigating the relationships between variables.


RESULTS
Mean serum leptin levels were 7.41 and 19.33 ng/mL in IBS and control groups, respectively (P<0.001). Participants in IBS group had significantly higher stress levels than controls (P<0.001). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that adjusted odds ratios (ORs) for serum leptin level (OR: 0.9; 95% confidence interval: 0.85-0.94) and stress level (OR: 1.15; 95% confidence interval: 1.09-1.23) were nearly the same as crude ones.


CONCLUSIONS
This study indicated the relationship between leptin and IBS for the first time. Our results show that serum leptin level is significantly lower in IBS group than controls and this relationship is independent of other variables such as stress levels, body mass index, etc. This may help in better understanding of the pathogenesis of IBS and consequently lead to the development of more effective treatments.
Semnani
Shahryar
S
Golestan Research Center of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran.
Roshandel
Gholamreza
G
Keshtkar
Abbasali
A
Najafi
Laily
L
Amiriani
Taghi
T
Farajollahi
Mehran
M
Moradi
Abdolvahab
A
Joshaghani
Hamidreza
H
D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D015536:Down-Regulation; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D043183:Irritable Bowel Syndrome / Q000097:blood* / Q000523:psychology; D020738:Leptin / Q000097:blood*; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications; D055815:Young Adult
D015415:Biomarkers; D020738:Leptin