Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the level of serum leptin hormone in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients during acute exacerbation and in stable conditions and also, to determine if these changes correlate with changes in the ventilatory functions. Methods: Sixty cases were included in this prospective study (40 COPD patients and 20 age related smokers without symptoms or signs of COPD and within normal pulmonary functions as a control). Patients and control were divided according to their BMI into obese (BMI 30) and non-obese (BMI = 18.5-25). Subjects were submitted to full history taking, thorough physical examination, plain chest X-ray, complete blood count, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, liver and kidney functions, fasting and post prandial blood sugar, ventilatory functions, and serum leptin level measurement. Results: Serum leptin level (ng/ml) was significantly higher (P < 0.001) in stable obese COPD (mean t SD = 23.85 ± 4.47) patients than obese controls (mean * SD = 20.9 t 2.7) and stable non-obese COPD (mean ± SD — 5.63 ± 1.05) and stable non-obese COPD cases had significantly higher (P < 0.05) serum leptin level than non-obese controls (mean ± SD = 6.53 ± 1.19). Serum leptin level was significantly higher (P < 0.001) in obese COPD cases during exacerbation (mean t SD = 67.59 5 9.8) than in non-obese COPD cases during exacerbation |
