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  Background & Objectives: Obesity is an important risk factor for many diseases and hormonal and metabolic factors have a great impact on its development. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between leptin and growth hormones with anthropometric indices and blood glucose in healthy men.

  Methods: This study is a cross-sectional study on 30 healthy adult men aged 18-49 years in Tonekabone city during 2011-2012. Samples were randomly selected and information on anthropometric parameters (waist circumference, body mass index and waist/hip ratio), fasting blood sugar, serum levels of leptin and growth hormones were recorded and blood sampling was performed After 12 hours of fasting (at 8 am). Data were analyzed using software SPSS 15 by non- parametric Mann – Whitney and Spearman test s and multiple regression analysis.

  Results: Serum leptin levels were negatively correlated with serum level of growth hormone ( P<0.05) and positively related to body mass index ( P<0.01) , waist circumference ( P<0.01) and the body weight ( P<0.05). Inverse relationship between serum growth hormone levels with age and fasting blood glucose were observed (P<0.05). Serum levels of leptin were significantly higher in overweight and obese than normal weight subjects (P<0.01) and mean leptin levels in subjects with central obesity ( waist circumference≥94cm) were significantly higher than men without central obesity (waist circumference<94cm) (P<0.01).

  Conclusion: This study showed that growth hormone level was negatively correlated with serum level of leptin. Low serum growth hormone and high serum leptin levels were associated with obesity and upper body fat distribution. Obesity and abdominal obesity are also associated with increased risk of metabolic syndrome

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Background & objectives: PCOS is one of the most prevalent endocrinology disorders and 5-15% of women in fertility age suffer from this disease. The leptin a 167 amin oacid peptide is secreted from adipose tissue in a pulsatile fashion. This hormone is essential in regulation of normal body weight and like the klotho hormone that is expressed most prominently in the distal convoluted tubules of kidneys and the choroid plexus of brain, has a role in pathogenesis of reproductive disorders. The secreted klotho has been identified as an anti-aging and anticancer hormone. Metformin is an anti-hyperglycemic drug with anorexic properties that could influence the function of ovaries.

Methods: In this case-control study, 45 patients with PCOS who referred to the infertility center of Jahad-e-Daneshgahi in the city of Ardabil from March 2013 through March 2014, were selected in accordance with the NIH criteria. Moreover, 45 healthy women were also selected as the control group. BMIs were calculated by division of weight by square of height and insulin resistance index was calculated by HOMA-IR model. Leptin and klotho serum levels were measured using ELISA kit. In the case group the measurements were repeated after a one-month course of therapy with metformin. Data analysis performed by SPSS software using dependent and independent t-tests.

Results: PCOS patients showed significant improvements after receiving metformin for one month.
Patients’ weights showed some decline. Fasting plasma glucose levels and insulin resistance decreased significantly (p<0.01). Hormonal assays indicated significant decrease in leptin and insulin levels and rise in Klotho levels. BMIs did not change meaningfully. Measurements of leptin and klotho levels showed a decrease in mean leptin levels from 34.74 to 28.41 ng/l and the level of klotho increased from 4.01 to 5.43 ng/l.

Conclusion: This study showed that metformin treatment can cause a rise in klotho and a decrease in leptin levels without considerable effects on the weights of women with PCOS. Probably, leptin exerts its physiological effects in low concentrations while klotho in contrast acts physiologically in higher concentrations.

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Background & objectives: Metalloproteinases (MMPs) are one of the most important agents in cartilage damage in rheumatoid arthritis. Increase of these enzymes can change sensitivity to insulin. Therefore, in this study, the MMPs level, insulin sensitivity index and effective factor related to rheumatoid arthritis were evaluated in obese female with rheumatoid arthritis.
Methods: In the present study, 50 obese women with rheumatoid arthritis who were referred to the Sheikh Al-Reis clinic and Sina hospital in Tabriz and 50 healthy obese individuals were considered as case group and control group respectively. After determining the body weight, the levels of MMP-1, MMP-3, MMP-13, insulin, leptin, visfatin, resistin and glucose were measured using ELISA and Pars -Azmoon kits. One-way ANOVA method was used for statistical analysis of data. Pearson correlation test was used to evaluate the correlation between variables (p<0.05).
 
Results: in the present study, the mean level of MMP-1 (p=0.008), MMP-3 (p=0.015) and MMP-13 (p=0.001) in the case group was significantly higher than the control group. Also, Insulin- sensitivity index analysis didn’t show significant difference between the case group and the control group (p=0.21). In the case group, the level of leptin (p=0.000), resistin (p=0.000) and visfatin (p=0.024) was significantly increased compared to control group while insulin (p=0.231) and glucose (p=0.430) levels didn’t show significant increase.
Correlation results showed that there was a negative correlation between insulin and MMPs and a positive correlation with other parameters affecting insulin sensitivity.
Conclusion: our results showed, the matrix metalloproteinase level and the level of some factors affecting insulin sensitivity have increased in rheumatoid arthritis disease. Also, there was a significant positive correlation between the matrix metalloproteinase and some parameters affecting insulin sensitivity, including resistin and visfatin.
 

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Background & objectives: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is accompanied by systemic inflammations and is characterized by irreversible airflow limitations. Leptin is a cytokine with pre-inflammatory effect. However, there have been no studies on the effect of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) on the serum leptin concentration in COPD patients. Therefore, the present study aimed to explore the effect of CLA on the serum leptin level, lung function and quality of life in COPD patients.
Methods: This interventional study was conducted on 90 COPD patients. The patients were randomly divided into two groups (supplement and placebo) with 45 patients per group. After obtaining written consent from the patients and recording their demographic characteristics, the spirometry was performed and COPD assessment test (CAT) score was calculated. Moreover, a fasting blood sample was collected from each of them in order to analyze their serum leptin concentration. After that, the patients in the supplement group were administered with 3.2 g/day of CLA for 6 weeks. The patients in another group received placebo. After the intervention, spirometry, CAT score calculation and blood sampling were repeated for all of the patients and the obtained results were analyzed.
Results: after the intervention, a significant decrease both in the serum leptin level and in CAT score as a quality life marker  was observed in the supplement group (p<0.05). Moreover, the FEV1 levels as a lung function test, increased significantly in the supplement group after the intervention (p<0.05). Although, the difference between the two groups was not significant.
Conclusion: The use of CLA supplement can improve COPD patients’ quality of life through decreasing the serum level of leptin in their blood.
 

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Background & objectives: Leptin and galanin are hormones involved in appetite and energy balance that play an important role in metabolism regulation and energy balance. The aim of this study was to evaluate the 12 weeks of intense intermittent exercise (HIIT) and curcumin consumption effect on leptin and galanin levels on inactive obese women.
Methods: 30 obese women were randomly selected from 85 women referring to sports clubs in  the Urmia city with an age range of 30-35 years in the form of a quasi-experimental design with pre-test and post-test and were divided into two groups of 15 Individual HIIT-Placebo and HIIT-Curcumin. The preparation period lasted for three weeks and HIIT training for nine weeks (4 sessions per week). Blood samples were taken in two stages before and 48 hours after the last training session in the follicular phase. Serum leptin and galanin were measured by ELISA. Statistical analysis was performed using the Shapiro-Wilk test and analysis of covariance. Significance level was considered 0.05 and data were analyzed using SPSS software version 20.
Results: The results of statistical analysis showed that 12 weeks of HIIT training reduced leptin (p<0.05), galanin (p<0.05), body mass index (p<0.05), and weight (p<0.05) was significantly higher in the HIIT-Curcumin group than in the HIIT-Placebo group.
Conclusion: The results showed that HIIT training combined with curcumin consumption as a non- invasive method can have a positive effect on reducing leptin and galanin levels and obesity-related factors.