Serum Leptin in Chronic Liver Disease

Chronic liver disease is defined as a wide variety of disorders that affect the liver, and are characterized by clinical, biochemical, and histological features indicative of chronic inflammation, degeneration and necrosis which often are accompanied by a variable degrees of fibrosis. Chronic liver disease may include; chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Leptin, the product of the ob gene, is a circulating hormone that communicates peripheral nutritional status to hypothalamic centers affecting food intake, energy expenditure and body weight. This work designed to study the effect of the severity of the chronic liver disease on serum leptin levels. This study included 77 males of all ages selected from the Tropical Medicine and Gastroenterology, Assiut University Hospital. The subjects were divided into 3 groups: Group I subjects, Included 9 healthy; Group II, Included 18 patients; With chronic Hepatitis C or B.; Group III A, Included 17 patients with child A Liver cirrhosis; Group III B, Included 19 patients with child B Liver cirrhosis and Included 14 patients with child C Liver cirrhosis all studied Pts. All studied patients were subjected to full history clinical examination, body mass index (BMI) skin fold thickness (SFT), and mid arm circumference (MAC), Complete liver function tests and serum leptin. • Serum leptin levels were found to be significantly higher in the group of patient with child A liver cirrhosis. • Serum leptin levels were significantly lower in chronic hepatitis patients. • There was a significant reduction in leptin levels as the Child-Pugh score worsened. • No significant difference was found in serum leptin in patients with chronic liver disease and control. From the previous results, we can conclude that: • Liver may play a role determining circulating leptin levels. • Serum leptin levels were highest in child Á liver cirrhosis group and lowest in chronic hepatitis group. • Serum leptin concentration is correlated with the amount of fat tissue.