Leptin and adiponectin blood levels in women with premature ovarian failure and age- and weight-matched women with normal menstrual cycles.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate leptin and adiponectin blood levels in women with premature ovarian failure (POF) and women with a normal menstrual cycle. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study involving 60 women divided into two groups: the study group (G1) comprising 30 women with POF not receiving hormone therapy for at least 3 months and the control group (G2) comprising 30 women with a normal menstrual cycle. Both groups were age and body mass index (BMI) matched. Results: Study participants had a mean (+/- SD) age of 34.4 (+/- 5.3) and 34.2 (+/- 5.6) years and mean BMI ( SD) of 24.7 (+/- 6.3) and 24.5 (+/- 4.6) kg/m(2) in G1 and G2, respectively. Serum leptin levels were significantly lower in G1 compared with G2 (8.8 +/- 12.2 and 12.2 +/- 9.7 ng/mL; P < 0.05). Serum adiponectin levels were similar in both groups. Leptin levels were positively correlated to weight (r = 0.38; P = 0.03) but were not correlated to BMI and age in women with POF (G1); in G2, they were positively correlated to BMI (r = 0.59; P = 0.0006), weight (r = 0.63; P = 0.0006), and age (r = 0.40; P = 0.02). Adiponectin levels did not correlate to weight, BMI, or age in both groups. Conclusions: These results suggest that gonadal function loss may decrease leptin circulating levels, independently from age and BMI. Adiponectin seems not to correlate to hormonal status.