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Human Reproduction, Vol. 15, No. 11, 2329-2332, November 2000
© 2000 European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology

Plasma leptin concentrations are increased in women with premenstrual syndrome

N. Anim-Nyame1, C. Domoney1, N. Panay1, J. Jones2, J. Alaghband-Zadeh2 and J.W.W. Studd1,3

1 Academic Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Chelsea & Westminster Hospital, 369 Fulham Road, London SW10 9NH and 2 Department of Chemical Pathology, Imperial College School of Medicine, Charing Cross Hospital, Fulham Palace Road, London W6 8RX, UK

Leptin is a metabolic regulator of the hypothalamic- pituitary-gonadal axis, and plays an important role in human reproduction. Its neuro-endocrine effects are mediated by interactions with receptors in the hypothalamus, where emotional drive is also controlled. We postulated that circulating leptin concentrations are increased in premenstrual syndrome (PMS), and that this may be associated with the psychological symptoms of the disease. We obtained fasting venous samples from 32 women with PMS and 28 women with asymptomatic menstrual cycles, matched for age, body mass index and menstrual cycle length. Leptin concentrations were measured by radioimmunoassay. Leptin concentrations increased significantly during the luteal phases of the menstrual cycles of the control and PMS groups as compared with the follicular phase, having excluded the 11 women with PMS and six controls found to be anovulatory on the basis of mid-luteal plasma progesterone concentrations from the analysis. A greater increase was observed in women with PMS than the controls (P = 0.00006 and 0.003 respectively). Although leptin concentrations in the follicular and luteal phases were higher in PMS than the controls, the difference was only statistically significant between the follicular phases (P = 0.001). There was no clear relationship between leptin and oestradiol or progesterone in this study. These findings suggest that leptin may play a role in the pathophysiology of the disease, and requires further evaluation.

Key words: leptin/neuro-endocrine/neurosteroids/premenstrual syndrome

3 To whom correspondence should be addressed at: Fertility and Endocrinology Unit, The Lister Hospital, Chelsea Bridge Road, London SW1W 8RH, UK. E-mail: jstudd{at}lister.prestel.co.uk


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