Table 6 The role of leptin in asthma

Structural changes

Bruno et al⁹ (2009)

Leptin/leptin receptor expression in bronchial epithelial cells is reduced in mild uncontrolled and severe asthma

Limited number of patients/Patients treated with corticosteroids

Animal studies

Shore et al¹¹⁷ (2003)

Increased response to ozone in ob/ob mice

ob/ob mice exhibit low lung size (potential mechanical bias)

Luet et al¹¹⁹ (2006)

Increased responses to ozone in db/db mice

db/db mice exhibit low lung size (potential mechanical bias)/Only female mice

Johnston et al¹²¹ (2008)

Mice with diet-induced obesity exhibit innate AHR

Control mice were overweight

Shore et al¹²⁷ (2005)

Enhanced metacholine responsiveness in leptin-treated mice

Clinical relevance unknown

Clinical studies

Guler et al¹²⁴ (2004)

Leptin is a predictive factor for childhood asthma

No adjustment for FM/Lack of correlation of leptin with PFT

Sood et al¹²⁶ (2006)

Higher leptin in asthmatics

Asthma diagnosis based on self-questionnaire/No adjustment for FM