Abstract
ObjectiveThere are numerous reports about the leptin concentration (LC) in postmenopausal women (PW). Changes in LC can elicit different clinical outcomes. We systematically analyzed the LC in PW.MethodsA search was conducted in original English-language studies published from 1994 to October 2012 in the following databases: Medline (78), Cochrane Center (123) Embase (505), Biological abstracts (108), Cochrane (53) and Science Finder Scholar (0). A meta-analysis was undertaken on the correction coefficient (r) between the serum LC and body mass index (BMI) for healthy PW across studies containing a dataset and sample size. Pre-analytical and analytical variations were examined. Pre-analytical variables included fasting status (FS) and sampling timing. Analytical variation comprised assay methodology, LC in those undertaking hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and those not having HRT as well as LC change according to age.ResultsTwenty-seven studies met the inclusion criteria. Eighteen studies detected LC in the morning in a FS, 15 studies denoted the r between leptin and the BMI. A combined r was counted for the 15 studies (r = 0.51 [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.46–0.54], P = 0.025), and if sampling collection was in the FSat morning, a combined r was form 10 studies (r = 0.54 [95% CI, 0.45–0.54], P = 0.299) and heterogeneity was diminished. LC did not change between HRT users and non-users in 7 studies. Five studies analyzed changes in LC according to age.ConclusionBased on all studies that investigated both LC and BMI, LC was positively correlated with the BMI. No studies established reference ranges according to the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) in healthy PW, and there was a wide variation in LC values. These differences suggest that caution should be used in the interpretation and comparison between studies.
Highlights
The prevalence of obesity is the result of multiple factors
All studies were retrieved based on a search strategy in our meta-analysis using the following criteria: (i) study design – clinical cohort, cross-sectional and case–control studies were considered eligible; (ii) target population – healthy postmenopausal women (PW); (iii) specific definition of the methods used for the measurement of leptin concentration (LC), biochemical assay used [radioimmunoassay (RIA), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)] and calculation of LC
A total of 3,093 PW were in the included studies
Summary
The prevalence of obesity is the result of multiple factors. Obesity can lead to severe health problems and is a social and economic burden. Some genetic loci for obesity have been identified, including several energy homeostasis-related peptide hormones, such as leptin, cocaine-amphetamine-regulated transcript (CART) and ghrelin [1]. These hormones target special areas in the brain and regulate body metabolism; mutations in their loci or receptors can result in obesity [1,2,3]. The hormones act on specific centers in the brain that regulate the sensations of satiety, and these effects are more obvious than peripheral administration of leptin. Based on the central action of leptin, it has been suggested that administration of leptin in the brain is more specific if it was used to treat obesity [4]
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