Leptin levels in various manifestations of pulmonary tuberculosis
Hakan Buyukoglan1, Inci Gulmez, Fahrettin Kelestimur
1Department of Pulmonology, Faculty of Medicine, Erciyes University, 38200 Kayseri, Turkey.
Background:
Proinflammatory cytokines are prime candidates as causative agents of the metabolic changes that eventually result in tuberculosis-associated weight loss. Microbial products and cytokines such as TNF and IL-1 increase leptin expression dose dependently in adipose tissue. Leptin plays an important role in cellular immunity.
Objectives:
In this study, we investigated serum leptin and TNF-alpha levels before and after antituberculosis therapy in patients with active pulmonary tuberculosis (TB).
Methods:
Twenty five in patients with active pulmonary TB and 18 healthy controls participated in the study. Leptin and TNF-alpha levels were measured before treatment and six months after the treatment and they were compared with the control group. Body mass index (BMI) and chest X-rays before and after the treatment were also evaluated.
Results:
The leptin levels before and after the treatment were 1.66+/-1.68 ng/mL and 3.26+/-3.81 ng/mL, respectively. The leptin levels of tuberculous patients were significant than in healthy patients (P < .05). The BMI was 19.36+/-2.55 kg/m2 before the treatment and 22.87+/-3.13 kg/m2 after the treatment. The TNF-alpha level was 23.19+/-12.78 pg/mL before the treatment and 15.95+/-6.58 pg/mL after the treatment. There was no correlation between leptin and TNF-alpha levels. Leptin levels were low in patients who had sequela lesion on chest radiographs.
Conclusion:
Leptin levels are suppressed in tuberculous patients and low leptin levels may contribute to increased susceptibility to infection and recovery with sequela lesions.
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