Leptin and bone mineral density in haemodialysis patients

There are very few data about relations between leptin and bone mineral density (BMD) in regular haemodialysed patients. We aimed to examine the relationship of serum leptin levels with BMD values in dialysed patients. We also assessed whether leptin is a significant predictor of BMD in haemodialysed patients.

Leptin levels were studied using commercially available kits and BMD values were calculated using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) at femoral neck and distal radius in 74 (30 men and 44 women ) haemodialysis patients.

BMD values at the femoral neck and distal radius did not differ significantly between the 2 genders. BMD at the distal radius correlated positively with bone alkaline phosphatase (BAP) (r = 0.503, P = 0.005) in male patients and correlated positively with phosphorus (r = 0.343, P = 0.02) in female patients. The time ondialysis treatment was longer in men (59 +/- 48 vs 44 +/- 41) but the difference was not statistically significant. Leptin levels were negatively correlated with BMD at the distal radius (r = -0.250 and P = 0.03) in all patients. Serum leptin levels were also correlated with body mass index (BMI) in all the patients (r = 0.749 and P = 0.001) and in both genders (r = 0.653 and P = 0.001 in women, r = 0.704 and P = 0.001 in men). In multivariate regression analysis, it was found that leptin level was not an independent determinant of BMD at all skeleton sites measured.

There was significant difference between the 2 genders with reference to leptin levels, BMI, phosphorus and creatinine. Serum leptin levels are not significant predictors of BMD in the current study.