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Serum leptin concentration in women: effect of age, obesity, and estrogen administration
V D Castracane1, R R Kraemer, M A Franken
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Amarillo 79106, USA. debbie@cortex.ama.ttuhsc.edu
Objective:
To compare serum leptin levels in normally cycling reproductive females (20-35 years old) with those in age-matched males, in women who were receiving oral contraceptives, and in older (postmenopausal) women (50-65 years old) who were or who were not receiving hormone replacement therapy.
Design:
Case-control study.
Setting:
Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinic, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center-Amarillo, or the Exercise Physiology Laboratory at Southeastern Louisiana University.
Patient(S):
Normally cycling women between the ages of 20-35 years and age-matched controls who were receiving oral contraceptives. Postmenopausal women between the ages of 50-65 years who were or who were not receiving hormone replacement therapy.
Main Outcome Measure(S):
Serum leptin concentration.
Result(S):
In all groups, serum leptin concentrations were correlated significantly with body mass index. Leptin levels were significantly higher in young women than young men (P <.001), but no other statistically significant differences were found for the other three comparisons.
Conclusion(S):
Serum leptin concentrations expressed as a measure of adiposity (body mass index) are greater in young normally cycling females (20-35 years old) than in age-matched males. There is no difference in levels of serum leptin between young and postmenopausal (50-65 years old) women. Estrogen administration, either in young women who are receiving estrogen-progestin oral contraceptives or in postmenopausal women who are receiving hormone replacement therapy, does not effect serum leptin concentrations.