Leptin assessment in acute lymphocytic leukemia survivors: Role of cranial radiotherapy?

Abstract

Leptin has been hypothesized to play a role in the development of obesity in leukemia survivors, particularly those who have received cranial radiotherapy. This cross-sectional study evaluated the relationship between leptin levels and body mass index (BMI) in a sample of 26 acute lymphocytic leukemia survivors of both sexes, treated with and without cranial irradiation, aged 7.6 to 17 years, at a mean 3.4 +/- 2.0 years off treatment. There were significantly more males among the irradiated group (P < 0.001), even though no differences were encountered in pubertal stage (P = 1.000), BMI standard deviation score (mean SD) (0.68 +/- 1.00 vs. 1.19 +/- 0.78; P = 0.164), or leptin concentrations (17.01 +/- 17.04 vs. 23.3 +/- 13.4; P = 0.309). Nonetheless, there was a positive correlation between the natural logarithm of leptin and BMI standard deviation score [t(22) = 2.348, P = 0.028], however, no differences were recorded among irradiated and nonirradiated patients [F(2,22) = 0.384, P = 0.685]. When this relationship was compared between sexes, a significant difference was encountered [F(2,22) = 4.907, P 0.017], with males having the strongest association (R-males(2) = 65.5%, R-females(2) = 34.7% ).Leptin is a reliable adiposity index as it strongly correlates with BMI. Overall, the current data suggest that cranial irradiation did not play a role upon this relationship; however, sex differences influenced positively this correlation.