title: Limited utility of adipokine levels in the diagnosis of malnutrition in the elderly.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Adipokine levels may have a role in the diagnostic and prognostic evaluation of malnutrition. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the correlation between malnutrition score and leptin, other biological markers, and body mass index (BMI) in the diagnosis of malnutrition in the elderly.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this cross-sectional observational study, we enrolled subjects over 70 years. Exclusion criteria were diabetes mellitus, obvious thyroid disorders, significant edema, renal dysfunction, chronic liver disease, symptomatic cardiovascular diseases, and malignity. Patients' demographic and medical data were recorded and anthropometric measurements were performed. Laboratory parameters including leptin, IGF-1, IGFBP-3, IL-6, TNF-α were measured. We defined malnutrition according to mini nutritional assessment (MNA) scale. Patients were divided into four groups according to BMI quartiles.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Average age of the patients was 81.9 ± 4.8 years, 68.2 % female and 31.8 % male. According to their MNA scores, 103 (66.9 %) were well nourished, 33 (21.4 %) were under malnutrition risk and 18 (11.7 %) were malnourished. MNA total and screening scores were positively correlated with albumin, BMI, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and estimated glomerular filtration rate. Serum leptin levels (ng/ml) were 18.9 ± 22.6, 22.3 ± 21.9, 51.9 ± 85.5, and 61.7 ± 56.1 in BMI groups 1-4, respectively. BMI was positively correlated with leptin and triglyceride levels. Leptin levels were similar among nutritional state groups. Neither BMI nor MNA scores had any significant correlation with adiponectin, ghrelin, IGF-1, or IGFBP-3.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Adipokine levels do not seem to give relevant information in nutritional state assessment.
authors.affiliation: Division of Geriatrics, Department of Internal Medicine, Erciyes University School of Medicine, Kayseri, Turkey.
authors.forename: Sibel
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Akın
authors.forename: Fatih
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tufan
authors.forename: Leyla
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bulut
authors.forename: Sema
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Genç
authors.forename: Gülistan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bahat
authors.forename: Bulent
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Saka
authors.forename: Nilgün
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Erten
authors.forename: M Akif
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Karan
mesh_terms: D054392:Adipokines / Q000097:blood*; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000097:blood*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020738:Leptin / Q000097:blood; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D044342:Malnutrition / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D015596:Nutrition Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D054392:Adipokines; D016207:Cytokines; D020738:Leptin; D008055:Lipids