[Leptin in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome. Direct correlation with insulin resistance].

Up to now it is unclear whether there is a relationship between insulin resistance and circulating leptin levels (LEP) in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). To assess the role of LEP in PCOS and to clarify the relationship between plasma LEP levels and insulin resistance (IR) in PCOS patients, we studied 49 women with PCOS and 14 normal premenopausal women. All subjects were evaluated by a 2 hours, 75 g, oral glucose tolerance test.

Alzheimer's disease patients display gender dimorphism in circulating anorectic adipokines.

Among neurodegenerative diseases, Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a leading cause of death in elderly individuals. AD is characterized, among other clinical findings, by unexplained weight loss, cachexia and altered immune function. To explore whether any relationship between gender and circulating levels of several eating-controlling metabolites exist, we evaluated leptin, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, triiodothyronine (T(3)), free (F) thyroxine (T(4)), TSH, PRL, insulin (INS), and cortisol in 15 AD-treated patients (age range 55-82 years): 9 postmenopausal females (without hormone replacement therapy) and 6 males.