The influence of leptin on Th1/Th2 balance in obese children with asthma.

Objective: In individuals with asthma, obesity induces the production of leptin and is associated with disease severity. Our objective was to evaluate the levels of serum leptin and their effect on Th1/Th2 balance in obese and non-obese children with asthma, as well as to investigate the association between serum leptin levels and clinical outcomes.

Methods: We evaluated 50 atopic children with physician-diagnosed moderate-to-severe persistent asthma and 20 controls.