Increased leptin levels correlate with thyroid autoantibodies in nonobese males.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Leptin is an adipokine that regulates body weight and appetite. It is also
an inflammatory cytokine that influences immune reactivity and autoimmunity. Leptin
levels are increased in obesity and are higher in women than in men. We aimed to determine
whether leptin levels, independent of sex and body mass index (BMI), are associated
with thyroid autoimmunity. DESIGN: This study uses data from The Third National Health
and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III) to test the association of leptin and
thyroid autoimmunity, independent of BMI. MEASUREMENTS: Thyroid-stimulating hormone,
thyroxine, antithyroid peroxidase (TPO) antibodies and leptin levels were measured
in 2902 men and 3280 women within the NHANES III population. BMI was calculated from
height and weight. RESULTS: Women had significantly higher leptin levels and anti-TPO
antibody titres than men. Correlation analyses demonstrated that leptin levels were
associated with anti-TPO antibody levels in the total population, but when men and
women were analysed separately, this association was lost. We then stratified men
and women into obese (BMI > 30) or nonobese (BMI ≤ 30) subgroups and determined the
association between leptin levels and anti-TPO antibody titres for each subgroup.
Using regression analysis, we found that increased leptin levels correlated with thyroid
autoantibodies in nonobese males, but not in obese males or in females. CONCLUSIONS:
Leptin levels correlated with thyroid autoantibody titres in nonobese males. This
association was not found in females. Sex and body habitus should therefore be considered
in studying the role of leptin in other autoimmune conditions.
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https://hdl.handle.net/10161/11063Published Version (Please cite this version)
10.1111/cen.12963Publication Info
MacIver, Nancie J; Thomas, Steven M; Green, Cynthia L; & Worley, Gordon (2016). Increased leptin levels correlate with thyroid autoantibodies in nonobese males. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf), 85(1). pp. 116-121. 10.1111/cen.12963. Retrieved from https://hdl.handle.net/10161/11063.This is constructed from limited available data and may be imprecise. To cite this
article, please review & use the official citation provided by the journal.
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Show full item recordScholars@Duke
Cynthia Lea Green
Associate Professor of Biostatistics & Bioinformatics
Survival Analysis Longitudinal Data Analysis Logistic Regression Missing Data Clinical
Trial Methods Maximum Likelihood Methods
Nancie Jo MacIver
Adjunct Associate Professor in the Department of Pediatrics
My laboratory is broadly interested in how large changes in nutritional status (e.g.
malnutrition or obesity) influence T cell immunity. Malnutrition can lead to immunodeficiency
and increased risk of infection, whereas obesity is associated with inflammation that
promotes multiple diseases including autoimmunity, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular
disease. We have identified the adipocyte-secreted hormone leptin as a critical link
between nutrition and immunity. Leptin is
Gordon Worley
Professor Emeritus of Pediatrics
Dr. Gordon Worley specializes in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities, a sub-specialty
of Pediatrics focusing on the management of the medical problems of children with
physical disabilities. The principal diagnoses he treats are cerebral palsy, spina
bifida, and Down syndrome. HIs research pertains to clinical problems of children
with these conditions. Current research interests include genetic factors influencing
outcomes of Extremely Low Birth Weight Infants using analyses of a large data s
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