Arch Dis Child 1997;77:396-400 ( November )

Serum leptin concentrations in relation to pubertal development

Björn Carlsson,^a Carina Ankarberg,^b Sten Rosberg,^b Ensio Norjavaara,^b Kerstin Albertsson-Wikland,^b Lena M S Carlsson^a

^a Research Centre for Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, ^b International Paediatric Growth Research Centre, Department of Paediatrics, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, University of Gothenburg, Sweden

Correspondence to: Professor Kerstin Albertsson-Wikland, International Pediatric Growth Research Centre, Department of Pediatrics, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, East, University of Gothenburg, S-416 85 Gothenburg, Sweden.

Accepted 18 July 1997

OBJECTIVESThe amount of adipose tissue influences pubertal development and fertility in girls. A candidate for mediating this is the hormone leptin, derived from adipocytes. This work was carried out to determine whether the leptin concentration in serum is regulated during pubertal development.
SUBJECTS AND METHODSSerum concentrations of leptin were determined by radioimmunoassay in a sample of 252 healthy children representing all pubertal stages.
RESULTSSerum leptin concentrations correlated directly with age (r = 0.53), body mass index (BMI) (r = 0.71), and weight for height SD score (r = 0.44) in girls and with BMI (r = 0.33) and weight for height SD score in boys (r = 0.36). Leptin concentrations increased with pubertal development in girls, resulting in significantly higher concentrations at pubertal stages 4 and 5 than at the prepubertal stage, whereas there was no change in the boys.
CONCLUSIONSSerum leptin concentrations increased during pubertal development in the girls, but remained constant in the boys. Whether the increase in serum leptin concentrations in girls is of importance for, or a consequence of, pubertal development is still to be determined.

Keywords: leptin; pubertal development; menarche

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© 1997 by Archives of Disease in Childhood
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