TY - JOUR
T1 - Serum leptin levels in patients with pollen-induced allergic rhinitis
AU - Ciprandi, Giorgio
AU - Filaci, Gilberto
AU - Negrini, Simone
AU - De Amici, Mara
AU - Fenoglio, Daniela
AU - Marseglia, Gianluigi
PY - 2009/2
Y1 - 2009/2
N2 - Background: Several studies have outlined a possible relationship between an increased body mass index (BMI) and respiratory allergic diseases, such as asthma and rhinitis. The aim of the study was to evaluate the serum leptin levels in a cohort of patients with pollen-induced allergic rhinitis, enrolled outside the pollen season, and in a group of healthy controls. Methods: The study included 75 subjects: 41 patients with moderate-severe persistent allergic rhinitis due to a pollen allergy and 34 normal subjects. All subjects were prospectively and consecutively evaluated. A skin prick test and blood sampling for assessing serum leptin levels, eosinophils, specific IgE, and nasal challenge were performed in all subjects. Results: After analyzing genders separately, female allergic patients showed significantly higher levels than normal females (p = 0.031), whereas the comparison between allergic and normal males was not significant (p = 0.9651). Leptin serum levels were significantly related with age in normal (p = 0.0059) and allergic (p = 0.0042) females. In addition, BMI and leptin levels were significantly correlated (p = 0.01) in all allergic patients; there were other significant relationships between leptin levels and symptom severity in females (p = 0063, r = 0.68), peripheral eosinophils in males (p = 0.023, r = 0.49), and allergen threshold dose at nasal challenge in both genders (males: p = 0.0001, r = -0.85; females: p = 0.0001, r = -0.95). Conclusions: This preliminary study provides the first evidence of significantly higher leptin serum levels in female patients with pollen-induced allergic rhinitis outside the pollen season.
AB - Background: Several studies have outlined a possible relationship between an increased body mass index (BMI) and respiratory allergic diseases, such as asthma and rhinitis. The aim of the study was to evaluate the serum leptin levels in a cohort of patients with pollen-induced allergic rhinitis, enrolled outside the pollen season, and in a group of healthy controls. Methods: The study included 75 subjects: 41 patients with moderate-severe persistent allergic rhinitis due to a pollen allergy and 34 normal subjects. All subjects were prospectively and consecutively evaluated. A skin prick test and blood sampling for assessing serum leptin levels, eosinophils, specific IgE, and nasal challenge were performed in all subjects. Results: After analyzing genders separately, female allergic patients showed significantly higher levels than normal females (p = 0.031), whereas the comparison between allergic and normal males was not significant (p = 0.9651). Leptin serum levels were significantly related with age in normal (p = 0.0059) and allergic (p = 0.0042) females. In addition, BMI and leptin levels were significantly correlated (p = 0.01) in all allergic patients; there were other significant relationships between leptin levels and symptom severity in females (p = 0063, r = 0.68), peripheral eosinophils in males (p = 0.023, r = 0.49), and allergen threshold dose at nasal challenge in both genders (males: p = 0.0001, r = -0.85; females: p = 0.0001, r = -0.95). Conclusions: This preliminary study provides the first evidence of significantly higher leptin serum levels in female patients with pollen-induced allergic rhinitis outside the pollen season.
KW - Adipose tissue
KW - Allergic rhinitis
KW - Leptin
KW - Pollen
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U2 - 10.1159/000161581
DO - 10.1159/000161581
M3 - Article
C2 - 18849612
AN - SCOPUS:53449087605
VL - 148
SP - 211
EP - 218
JO - International Archives of Allergy and Immunology
JF - International Archives of Allergy and Immunology
SN - 1018-2438
IS - 3
ER -