Comparison of Serum Leptin Levels in Pulmonary Tuberculosis Patients with Acute Pneumonia Patients and Healthy Individuals

Aims: Leptin is one of the most important fat-derived hormones. Several studies have shown that serum leptin levels in systemic inflammatory diseases are reduced. The aim of this study was to evaluate the serum leptin levels in three groups: patients with active pulmonary tuberculosis (TB), patients with non-pulmonary infections (acute pneumonia) and normal people. Materials & Methods: In this cross-sectional study, in 2010, 40 patients with active pulmonary TB (case group) and 40 patients with non-pulmonary infections (positive control group) admitted to Boo-Ali hospital in Zahedan and 40 healthy subjects (negative control group) were selected using easy access and serum leptin levels were evaluated by ELISA. Data were analyzed by SPSS 18 software and one-way ANOVA. Findings: The mean of serum leptin levels in patients with non-pulmonary infections (p=0.030) and in patients with active pulmonary TB (p=0.004) were significantly lower than normal group, but the mean of serum leptin levels in patients with active pulmonary TB and patients with non-pulmonary infections were not significantly different (p=0.555). Conclusion: Serum leptin levels are lower in patients with active pulmonary tuberculosis and in patients with non-pulmonary infections than in normal people, but there is no difference between patients with active pulmonary tuberculosis and patients with non-pulmonary infections. Therefore, serum leptin levels are not an appropriate marker for the differentiation of active pulmonary tuberculosis from pulmonary infections (acute pneumonia)