Leptin and Nutritional Markers in Childhood Protein-Energy Malnutrition

Abstract

Leptin is an important signal in metabolic/endocrine adaptation to

prolonged nutritional deprivation. This cross-sectional study was performed

to determine alterations associated with protein-energy malnutrition

in serum levels of leptin and classical nutritional markers. Forty-two

children with protein-energy malnutrition was classified according to

Gomez and 21 healthy controls were recruited. Serum leptin, albumin,

prealbumin, fibronectin, transferrin, lipoprotein (a) and whole blood

hemoglobin concentrations were determined. Leptin levels were significantly

lower in undernourished children, declining with degree of

malnutrition. Alteration of albumin, hemoglobin and lipoprotein (a)

became apparent at late stages of malnutrition. Gomez classification

was the only significant contributor to the variations in leptin concentrations

among age, weight, presence of infection, breast-feeding duration

and age at feeding with complementary foods. This study provides evidence

that leptin is sensitive to stages of malnutrition independent of body

weight, probably for it's role in metabolic adaptation. Serum prealbumin,

transferrin and fibronectin does not offer a sensitive alternative in the

background of increased susceptibility to infection.