PD199 - THE LEPTIN PARADOX IN HEMATOLOGIC MALIGNANCIES: CONNECTIONS BETWEEN HYPERLEPTINEMIA, TASTE PERCEPTION, AND ADIPOSITY DURING CHEMOTHERAPY

PD199

THE LEPTIN PARADOX IN HEMATOLOGIC MALIGNANCIES: CONNECTIONS BETWEEN HYPERLEPTINEMIA, TASTE PERCEPTION, AND ADIPOSITY DURING CHEMOTHERAPY

J. Micheletti^1,*, J. M. F. Sicchieri^1,2, L. L. D. F. Pontes ², A. M. Navarro ^1,2

¹Universidade de Sao Paulo , ²Hospital das Clínicas de Ribeirão Preto , Ribeirão Preto , Brazil

Rationale: Leptin, an anorexigenic hormone synthesized by adipose tissue, frequently exhibits elevated plasma concentrations in patients with hematologic malignancies.This study examined the relationship between hyperleptinemia and body composition, muscle strength, appetite regulation, and taste perception in adults undergoing chemotherapy.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 31 patients (77.4% male; mean age 46.9 years) undergoing chemotherapy for Acute Leukemias (n=15), Lymphomas (n=8), and Multiple Myeloma (n=8). The protocol included: anthropometry, the Simplified Nutritional Appetite Questionnaire (SNAQ), taste sensitivity testing (Taste Strips-ODOFIN™), body composition analyses via bioelectrical impedance spectroscopy (BIS), plasma leptin levels by ELISA, and serum albumin from medical records.

Results: The mean plasma leptin concentration was elevated (26.93±33.19 ng/mL) and demonstrated significant positive correlation with total fat mass (ρ=0.609; p=0.002). Leptin levels also showed a positive correlation with serum albumin (ρ=0.380; p=0.053). No significant correlation was found between leptin levels and appetite scores (SNAQ). Conversely, a relevant positive association was identified between leptin and global taste sensitivity (ρ=0.410; p=0.040).

Conclusion: We found a state of hyperleptinemia, strongly associated with increased adiposity. The positive correlation with albumin suggests that these elevated hormone levels may be linked to reduced weight variation. The most paradoxical finding—the lack of leptin's impact on appetite scores despite its correlation with taste acuity—may signal a state of resistance to the anorexigenic action of this hormone, potentially induced by the underlying disease or the treatment itself. These findings highlight the need for longitudinal studies to unravel the mechanisms underlying these complex interactions.

Disclosure of Interest: None declared