Hippokratia 1999, 3(2):73-76
D. Panidis, A. Kourtis, K. Stergiopoulos, E. Spanos, G. Vlassis
Abstract
The aim of the present study was to estimate serum leptin levels in menopausal women and to detect the correlation between the levels of this hormone and the age of these women, the duration of the postmenopausal period, and the body mass index (BMI). Seventy nine menopausal women, 27-72 years old (53,2±0,9 years) were examined and serum leptin levels were determined, with IRMA method. Our results are: (a) serum leptin levels varied between 5,8 ng/ml and 50,9 ng/ml (22,4±1,1ng/ml), (b) serum leptin levels showed high positive correlation, (r=0,488, p<0,0001), to the BMI, whereas there was no correlation to the age of the menopausal women and to the duration of the postmenopausal period. The results of this study indicate that body mass index (BMI) is the main variable which influences serum leptin levels.