Association between Serum Leptin and Anthropometric Profile, Fasting Serum Insulin and Glucose Level in Women with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome

The progress in defining the role for leptin in human obesity may be shadowed only by the even faster rise in our awareness of the role of leptin in reproduction. Leptin appears to be the missing link between fat and fertility [2]. When controlled for body weight, no difference is seen between women with and without PCO, however leptin is still involved, and as insulin sensitizing agents may decrease leptin gene transcription [3]. Leptin stimulates all levels of the reproductive axis, i.e., hypothalamus, pituitary and ovary. In view of these effects, the possibility was raised that high levels of leptin may contribute to the physiopathology of PCOS [4].