Gc. Leitner et al., Leptin deficiency due to lipid apheresis: a possible reason for ravenous hunger and weight gain, INT J OBES, 24(2), 2000, pp. 259-260
OBJECTIVE: To investigate how extracorporal cholesterol lowering therapy af
fects circulating leptin levels in patients with ravenous hunger after trea
tment and permanent weight gain.
DESIGN: A case report.
SUBJECT: 51 y old caucasian male patient with moderate chronic renal failur
e,
MEASUREMENTS: Serum Leptin concentration (RIA, Linco Research Inc, St. Loui
s, MO, USA), total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein cholesterol, blood
glucose levels, calorie intake by food records.
RESULTS: During treatment total cholesterol was reduced by 50%. Serum Lepti
n levels showed a 42% reduction at the end of treatment, that by far exceed
s the physiological diurnal variation. Calorie intake was significantly inc
reased on days of treatment.
CONCLUSION: We conclude that this artificial reduction in circulating lepti
n plays an important role in the pathogenesis of ravenous hunger and weight
gain under extracorporal cholesterol lowering therapy in this case.