Relationships between serum leptin level and regional bone mineral density, bone metabolic markers in healthy women

Background. Leptin might affect bone metabolism. This study was performed to investigate the relationship of leptin to bone metabolism in detail in premenopausal and postmenopausal healthy women. Methods. The relationships between serum leptin level and bone mineral density of several regional sites of the body as well as whole body, along with bone metabolic markers, were examined in 47 premenopausal and 29 postmenopausal healthy women. Results. Serum leptin level was weakly correlated with bone mineral density of pelvis (Pearson's correlation coefficient r = 0.39, p<0.05) and left leg (r=0.41, p<0.01) in the premenopausal women, although the correlation decreased after adjustment for BMI. There was no significant relationship between serum leptin level and whole body bone mineral density both in the premenopausal and postmenopausal women. Serum leptin level was correlated with serum alkaline phosphatase (r=0.56, p<0.001) and urinary deoxypyridinoline/cr (r= -0.32, p<0.05) by Pearson's correlation test in the premenopausal women; the relationships were maintained even after adjustment for BMI(r=0.50 and -0.48, respectively). Conclusions. Leptin is not a key regulator of bone metabolism, although it may have some effects on bone metabolic markers and BMD regionally in premenopausal women.