Correlation between leptin level with lipid profile and free fatty acid in liver cirrhosis patients

Abstract

Malnutrition is a common condition in liver cirrhotic patients. Leptin regulates body weight
physiologically by suppressing appetite and increasing energy expenditure. Leptin is higher in female
than male. Studies have shown correlation between leptin with metabolic factors like body mass
index (BMI) and lipid profile in cirrhotic patients. This study was conducted to investigate the
correlation between serum leptin levels with lipid profile and free fatty acid in male patients with liver
cirrhosis. This was a cross sectional study that conducted at Gastroentero-Hepatology Clinic and
Internal Ward at Dr. Sardjito General Hospital, Yogyakarta. The inclusion criteria were patients with
liver cirrhosis > 18 years old, male, with Child-Pugh classification B and C, and provided informed
consent. The exclusion criteria were liver cirrhotic patients with comorbidity chronic kidney disease,
chronic heart failure, diabetic, cancer, infection/septic, pregnancy, breast feeding, and steroid use.
Data collecting was performed by anamnesis, physical examination, abdominal ultrasonography
examination, and blood chemistry test. Pearson test was used to evaluate the correlation between
the serum leptin level with the lipid profile and free fatty acid. The results showed that no significant
negative correlation was observed between the serum leptin level with the total cholesterol (r= -
0.052; p=0.766), high-density lipoprotein/HDL (r= -0.078; p=0.658) and triglyceride (r= -
0.170; p=0.328) in male patients with liver cirrhosis. Furthermore, no significant positive correlation
was observed between the serum leptin levels with the low-density lipoprotein/LDL (r= -0.013; p=
0.942) and free fatty acid/FFA (r= 0.007; p=0.968). In conclusion, there was no correlation
between serum leptin levels with lipid profile and FFA in male patients with liver cirrhosis.