Background: Although there is evidence of a positive association between leptin and asthma in adults and children, very little is known about the role of adiponectin and leptin in children with allergic rhinitis (AR).
Objectives: The aims of this study were to evaluate serum leptin and adiponectin levels in a group of children with allergic rhinitis before the initiation of therapy and to examine the relationship between leptin and adiponectin and allergic inflammatory markers in AR children.
Methods: Body mass index (BMI) and serum leptin and adiponectin levels were measured in 51 (18 female, 33 male; mean age, 7.3 ± 2.08 years) allergic rhinitis children and 47 (15 female, 32 male; mean age, 6.43 ± 2.59 years) healthy children. Total serum IgE and mite-specific IgE and serum eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) levels were also measured.
Results: A significant difference was observed in serum leptin and adiponectin levels between AR and healthy children. Median (interquartile range) levels of leptin were 4.60 (2.16-14.82) ng/ml and 3.31 (1.08-7.10) ng/ml, respectively (P = 0.041). Median (interquartile range) levels of adiponectin were 30.36 (21.08-41.85) μg/ml and 39.07 (30.83-45.46) μg/ml, respectively (P = 0.005). Further analysis revealed that these differences in leptin and adiponetin levels appeared to be far more significant in boys than girls. By logistic regression analysis, only leptin and adiponectin were predictive factors for having allergic rhinitis with their odds ratios being 27.06 (95% confidence interval (CI), 1.01-1209) and 13.14 (95% CI, 1.84-115.1), respectively. In the multiple regression analysis, only BMI and AR were significantly associated with leptin levels and BMI, age and AR correlated with adiponectin levels. A significantly negative but weak correlation was observed between log adiponectin and log ECP levels among children with AR (r = -0.29; P = 0.036). There was no relation between adipokines levels and total IgE or mite-specific IgE levels.
Conclusion: Patients with allergic rhinitis have a marked increase in serum levels of leptin but a marked decrease in adiponectin levels. These data confirm a relevant role for adipokines in the pathogenesis of allergic rhinitis and suggest important therapeutic implications that need further exploration.
