Status of serum leptin levels in females with infertility

OBJECTIVE: To assess serum leptin levels in infertile females referred to a tertiary care hospital in Pakistan.

METHODS: A case control study was carried out at Shifa College of Medicine/Shifa International Hospital Islamabad, Pakistan from January 2005 to August 2005. Serum leptin levels of 44 infertile females were compared with 44 age matched fertile female controls.

RESULTS: The results revealed that serum leptin levels were significantly raised in infertile women (69.7±40.2ng/ml) as compared to fertile controls (41.1±27.3ng/ml) with p=0.000. Mean body mass index BMI was also found to be significantly higher in infertile women (27.2±6.8kg/m2) as compared to fertile females (24.1±5.2kg/m2) with p-value of 0.019. Moreover, a strong positive correlation was found between BMI and leptin levels as leptin levels increased with increase in BMI. Mean leptin levels in overweight women were significantly higher (81.4±32.4ng/ml) as compared to normal weight women (30.6±20.6ng/ml) with p=0.000.

CONCLUSION: The present study has indicated that overweight accompanied by hyperleptinemia is associated with infertility in females. However, further studies are required to determine the exact mechanism by which enhanced body mass and serum leptin levels lead to female infertility.