Influence of NaMFP therapy on plasma leptin concentration in postmenopausal women

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of a low dose of fluoride on the plasma leptin concentration in postmenopausal women. STUDY DESIGN: One hundred one healthy, postmenopausal women participated in this comparative study. To evaluate the influence of NaMFP treatment and body mass index (BMI) on leptin concentrations, patients were allocated to one of four groups: postmenopausal women (1) on NaMFP with BMI < 25 (n = 29), (2) on NaMFP with BMI > or = 25 (n = 26), (3) not on NaMFP with BMI > or = 25 (n = 24) and (4) not on NaMFP with BMI < 25 (n = 22). Plasma leptin levels were measured before and 12 months after the initiation of NaMFP or, in groups 3 and 4, after the start of the study. Ninety-eight women completed the study. RESULTS: There were significant differences in leptin concentrations at baseline and 12 months between NaMFP users with BMI > or = 25 and BMI < 25 and between women not taking NaMFP with BMI > or = 25 and BMI < 25 (group 2 versus 1 and 3 versus 4). After controlling for BMI, the use of NaMFP was not found to be related to the leptin value (group 1 versus 4 and group 2 versus 3). Although plasma leptin concentrations tended to be decreased slightly at 12 months in NaMFP users, this decrease was not statistically significant (P = .065). CONCLUSION: Leptin concentrations are significantly higher in obese, postmenopausal women than in nonobese, postmenopausal women. Plasma leptin concentrations are slightly but nonsignificantly influenced by long-term, low-dose fluoride treatment. Further studies are needed to elucidate the role of NaMFP on plasma leptin concentrations.