Is leptin related to systemic inflammatory response in acute pancreatitis?

AIM

To evaluate the relationship between leptin and systemic inflammation in acute pancreatitis.

METHODS

Consecutive patients with acute pancreatitis were included. Body mass index and serum samples were obtained at admission. Leptin, TNF-alpha, IL-6, -8 and -10 levels were determined by ELISA. Severity was defined according to Atlanta criteria.

RESULTS

Fifty-two (29 females) patients were studied. Overall body mass index was similar between mild and severe cases, although women with severe pancreatitis had lower body mass index (P = 0.04) and men showed higher body mass index (P = 0.05). No difference was found in leptin levels regarding the severity of pancreatitis, but higher levels tended to appear in male patients with increased body mass index and severe pancreatitis (P = 0.1). A multivariate analysis showed no association between leptin levels and severity. The strongest cytokine associated with severity was IL-6. Correlations of leptin with another cytokines only showed a trend for IL-8 (P = 0.058).

CONCLUSION

High body mass index was associated with severity only in males, which may be related to android fat distribution. Serum leptin seems not to play a role on the systemic inflammatory response in acute pancreatitis and its association with severe outcome in males might represent a marker of increased adiposity.