Leptin and metabolic syndrome in patients with Duchenne/Becker muscular dystrophy

Objectives To determine whether patients with Duchenne/Becker muscular dystrophy ( DMD / BMD ) have components of metabolic syndrome (MetSy) and to evaluate whether leptin is associated with components of MetSy. Methods This study included 78 patients (nine, <6 years of age; 54, 6 to <16 years of age; and 15 patients, ≥16 years of age). Obesity and body fat mass were determined by waist circumference and dual‐energy X–ray absorptiometry, respectively. A 12‐h fasting blood sample was collected in the morning. Patients were categorized into four groups according to the number of criteria for MetSy: group 0: none; group 1: one; group 2: two and group 3: three or more criteria. Results All age groups showed components of MetSy. The concentration of these components was significantly higher in patients ≥16 years old. The prevalence of hypertriglyceridemia was from ~37% to 46% in all age groups. The prevalence of MetSy was 7.1% for patients from 6 to <16 years of age and 24% for patients ≥16 years of age. Serum leptin levels increased significantly ( P  < 0.05) with age; the highest (13.43 ± 9.4 ng/ml) value was observed in patients >16 years of age. Total leptin was correlated with the number of patients with MetSy ( r  = 0.383; P  = 0.001). Conclusions Components of MetSy are significant in patients with DMD / BMD . A high prevalence of hypertriglyceridemia was observed. Younger patients with DMD / BMD have risk factors for MetSy. Although leptin increased according to different degrees of MetSy, this relation disappeared when the body fat was corrected by leptin; therefore, the association could be caused by a common risk factor—fat.