ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Low plasma leptin levels can be a risk factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD) but the relation of leptin with disease progression in clinical AD is unknown. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the relation between serum leptin concentrations and cognitive decline in clinical AD. METHODS: Serum leptin levels were analyzed in 295 non-obese subjects including healthy controls (n = 65), patients with subjective memory complaints (n = 99), patients with AD (n = 100), and patients with vascular dementia (n = 31). Leptin levels were related to hippocampal atrophy, baseline Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores and annual decline in MMSE measured over 2 years (range 0.4-4.5 years). RESULTS: Serum leptin levels were similar in AD patients compared to healthy controls and patients with subjective memory complaints. No correlation was observed between leptin concentrations and MMSE, annual change in MMSE during follow-up or atrophy. CONCLUSION: Serum leptin levels are not altered in this population of relatively young AD or vascular dementia patients (mean 60) compared to healthy and clinical control groups and were not related to cognitive decline. These results suggest that peripheral leptin levels do not play a role in evolution of AD pathology.
Subject(s)
Alzheimer Disease/complications , Cognition Disorders/blood , Cognition Disorders/etiology , Leptin/blood , Aged , Body Mass Index , Female , Humans , Magnetic Resonance Imaging , Male , Mental Status Schedule , Middle Aged , Sex FactorsABSTRACT
The Dutch Ministry of Health has instructed the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) to prepare a national screening programme for colorectal cancer. The RIVM put the immunochemical faecal occult blood test (iFOBT) for the programme out to public tender, after which a panel of experts recommended the FOB Gold test. This is surprising since previous studies favoured the OC Sensor test and the FOB Gold test has never been used in the Netherlands. Before starting the national programme in September 2013, the RIVM wants to ascertain which FOB Gold test cut-off value is comparable with the 75 ng/ml of the OC Sensor test recommended by the Health Council of the Netherlands. This cut-off level is crucial for capacity planning of colonoscopies. We advocate starting the national screening programme with the OC Sensor test and subsequent careful comparison with the FOB Gold test during the screening programme.
