Serum leptin levels in obese Indian children relation to clinical and biochemical parameters.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate serum leptin levels in obese Indian children and its correlation to anthropometric and biochemical parameters. DESIGN: Cohort study. SETTING: Referral tertiary hospital. METHODOLOGY: Leptin levels were measured in 36 children (26 boys, age 1.5 to 15 years) and 37 adults (21 men, age 25 to 69 years) with obesity and 29 normal weight controls (15 children and 14 adults). RESULTS: Leptin levels were higher than controls in obese children (19.4 +/- 6.4 ng/mL against 5.4 +/- 1.7 ng/mL, p = 0.0001) and obese adults (18.9 +/- 6.4 ng/mL against 7.8 +/- 5.6 ng/mL, p = 0.0001). Leptin levels were higher than males in obese girls (23.5 +/- 1.7 ng/mL against 18.0 +/-7.6 ng/mL, p = 0.040) and women (21.3 +/- 4.4 ng/mL against 15.8 +/- 7.4 ng/mL). Leptin levels correlated with body mass index, waist circumference and waist to-hip ratio. A positive correlation was observed between serum leptin and cholesterol, triglycerides and LDL-cholesterol. No correlation was seen with fasting blood glucose and HDL-cholesterol. CONCLUSIONS: Leptin levels correlate significantly with anthropometric and laboratory parameters in obese children. There is a need for further studies on the role of leptin in childhood obesity and metabolic syndrome.

Rapid prenatal karyotyping using foetal blood obtained by cordocentesis.

BACKGROUND: Prenatal karyotyping using foetal blood samples obtained by cordocentesis is a useful method of detecting abnormal chromosomes in the foetus. METHODS: Cordocentesis was performed in 187 cases for prenatal karyotyping between January 1995 and September 2000. Pregnant women were between 18 and 38 weeks of gestation and their ages ranged from 18 to 40 years. The common indications were ultrasonographic abnormalities (47.6%), history of previous Down syndrome (13.3%), advanced maternal age (11.7%), low maternal serum alpha foetoprotein levels (10.7%), previous child with malformation (10.7%), previous child with trisomy (chromosome 13/18) (2.6%), parent a balanced translocation carrier (1.6%) and high maternal serum alpha foetoprotein levels (1.6%). RESULTS: Analysis of 137 successful cultures showed 8 (5.2%) karyotype abnormalities. The remaining samples could not be reported due to the presence of maternal contamination of the sample (12.3%), inadequate sample (6.4%) or culture failure (9.8%). In those with an abnormal karyotype, obstetric management could be altered appropriately. CONCLUSION: In foetuses at high risk of a chromosomal aberration, a rapidly obtained karyotype is helpful in obstetric management.