ACUTE INFUSION OF NALOXONE, AN OPIOID RECEPTOR ANTAGONIST, DOES NOT MODIFY SERUM LEPTIN CONCENTRATIONS IN AMENORRHEIC AND HEALTHY WOMEN

Objective: To determine whether the opioidergic system is involved in the modulation of leptin secretion in healthy and amenorrheic subjects . Design: Prospective study. Setting: Department of Obstetrics and Gyn ecology, University of Modena, Modena, Italy. Patient(s): Healthy subj ects (n = 8) and patients with hypothalamic amenorrhea (n = 17) or hyp erandrogenism (n = 7) and low body mass index (BMI). Intervention(s): Acute infusion of naloxone (4-mg bolus) and blood sampling 15 minutes before infusion; at time of infusion: and 151 30, 45, 60, 75, 90, and 120 minutes after infusion. Main Outcome Measure(s): Plasma leptin, LH , FSH, E-2, and cortisol concentrations. Result(s): Plasma leptin conc entrations were lower (P <.01) in both hypothalamic and hyperandrogeni c amenorrheic subjects than in healthy controls. In all groups of subj ects, no significant changes in leptin levels were observed after infu sion of naloxone. A significant correlation was found between leptin c oncentrations and BMI when all subjects were considered together (P <. 05) but was not found in the single groups. Conclusion(s): The present data do not support the hypothesis that opioidergic receptors are inv olved acutely in the modulation of leptin release in healthy and ameno rrheic women. (Fertil Steril(R) 1998;70:924-6. (C) 1998 by American So ciety for Reproductive Medicine.).