Treatment of normal women with oestradiol plus progesterone prevents the decrease of leptin concentrations induced by ovariectomy

(P < 0.01) and were significantly higher than in the other two groups (P < 0.05). Body mass index (BMI) was the Patients most important variable accounting for the changes in The study included 21 normally ovulating women who volunteered leptin values post-operatively, but in the oestradiol plus for the study and gave written informed consent. Approval for the progesterone group progesterone correlated significantly study was obtained from the local ethical committee. Clinical and with leptin independently of BMI. These results suggest endocrine characteristics of the women are shown in Table I. There were no significant differences in the age, body mass index (BMI), that progesterone and cortisol can stimulate leptin secretion FSH, luteinizing hormone (LH), leptin and cortisol values between in women regardless of oestradiol concentrations.