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Testosterone and diurnal rhythmicity of leptin, TNF-α and TNF-II receptor in insulin-resistant myotonic dystrophy patients

International Journal of Obesity volume 26, pages 1386–1392 (2002)Cite this article

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the leptin and TNF systems in relation to testosterone in insulin resistant myotonic dystrophy (DM1) subjects.

DESIGN AND SUBJECTS: Fasting morning samples and diurnal sampling during 24 h. Forty-two DM1 subjects (20 women and 22 men; age 41.5 (28.5–58.7) y, body mass index (BMI) 23.3 (18.6–29.2) kg/m2; median and 10th and 90th percentile, respectively). Fifty healthy volunteers (23 women and 27 men; age 42 (27.0–56.9) y, BMI 24.0 (20.7–29.7) kg/m2). Nine men with DM1 and nine healthy men participated in diurnal sampling.

MEASUREMENTS: Body composition was measured by bioelectric impedance analysis. Circulating levels of leptin, TNF-α, TNFR-II, insulin, testosterone and lipids were measured. The number of CTG triplet repeats was analysed.

RESULTS: Basal as well as median 24 h levels of leptin and TNFR-II were significantly increased in DM1 patients, independent of body fat mass. This was associated with higher insulin and lower testosterone levels in DM1 patients. The genetic defect was related to leptin and TNFR-II levels in DM1 patients.

CONCLUSION: Hyperleptinemia in DM1 is clearly linked to the concomitant hypogonadism. The genetic defect may directly or indirectly contribute to increased leptin levels. Increased exposure of cytokines may contribute to insulin resistance and other hormonal disturbances in DM1.

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Acknowledgements

This study was supported with grants from the Northern County Councils Cooperation Committee (Visare Norr), Swedish Research Council (grant 6834) and the Faculty of Medicine, Lund University. TO is a Senior Research Fellow for the Swedish Medical Research Council. We wish to thank research nurse Eva Krylborg and technician Lilian Bengtsson for excellent practical assistance and statistician Hans Stenlund for valuable help in statistical matters. We are also grateful to BSc Kristina Cederquist for performing the genetic analyses.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Umeå University Hospital, Umeå, Sweden

    Å Johansson

  2. Department of Medical Biosciences, Umeå University Hospital, Umeå, Sweden

    Å Johansson & T Olsson

  3. Department of Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden

    B Ahrén

  4. Department of Internal Medicine, Sunderby Hospital, Luleå, Sweden

    H Forsberg

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  1. Å Johansson
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  4. T Olsson
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Correspondence to B Ahrén.

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Johansson, Å., Ahrén, B., Forsberg, H. et al. Testosterone and diurnal rhythmicity of leptin, TNF-α and TNF-II receptor in insulin-resistant myotonic dystrophy patients. Int J Obes 26, 1386–1392 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijo.0802078

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