Objective: To investigate how extracorporal cholesterol lowering therapy affects circulating leptin levels in patients with ravenous hunger after treatment and permanent weight gain.
Design: A case report.
Subject: 51 y old caucasian male patient with moderate chronic renal failure.
Measurements: Serum Leptin concentration (RIA, Linco Research Inc, St. Louis, MO, USA), total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein cholesterol, blood glucose levels, calorie intake by food records.
Results: During treatment total cholesterol was reduced by 50%. Serum Leptin levels showed a 42% reduction at the end of treatment, that by far exceeds the physiological diurnal variation. Calorie intake was significantly increased on days of treatment.
Conclusion: We conclude that this artificial reduction in circulating leptin plays an important role in the pathogenesis of ravenous hunger and weight gain under extracorporal cholesterol lowering therapy in this case.