SERUM LEPTIN LEVELS IN THE ACQUIRED-IMMUNODEFICIENCY-SYNDROME

Leptin, a hormone that is secreted by adipose tissue in proportion to fat stores, regulates energy balance and appetite. Recently, tumor nec rosis factor and interleukin-1, cytokines that regulate the host respo nse to infection, have been shown to acutely increase leptin levels, r aising the possibility that leptin could mediate the anorexia of some infections. We measured leptin levels in patients with the acquired im munodeficiency syndrome and found that leptin levels were not increase d relative to body fat in patients who were anorectic, were losing wei ght, or had a history of weight loss, Furthermore, leptin levels were not increased during secondary infection, suggesting that elevations i n leptin do not play a key role in the anorexia of infections associat ed with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.