Free serum leptin but not bound leptin concentrations are elevated in patients with end‐stage renal disease

Abstract

Background. Leptin is a 16‐kDa protein that is thought to be a regulator of food intake and body weight. Although total serum leptin levels have been reported to be elevated in obese and normal weight patients with end‐stage renal disease (ESRD), it is not known whether serum‐free leptin concentrations are also increased in patients with ESRD with no apparent nutritional problems. Furthermore, there are no data on how different dialysis modes (high‐flux haemodiafiltration and low‐flux dialysis) influence serum leptin subfractions.