Leptin
Test Mnemonic
LEPTIN
CPT Codes
- 83520 - QTY (1)
LOINC ®
21365-2
Performing Laboratory
ARUP
Specimen Requirements
| Volume | Type | Container | Collect Temperature | Transport Temperature | Special Instructions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.5 mL | Serum | SST (Gold) | Frozen | Patient should fast overnight prior to collection |
Alternate Specimen Requirements
| Volume | Type | Container | Collect Temperature | Transport Temperature | Special Instructions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.5 mL | Serum | No additive (Red) | Frozen | Patient should fast overnight prior to collection |
Minimum Specimen Requirements
| Volume | Type | Container | Collect Temperature | Transport Temperature | Special Instructions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.2 mL |
Stability
| Environmental Condition | Description |
|---|---|
| Ambient | After separation from cells: 1 day |
| Refrigerated | After separation from cells: 2 days |
| Frozen | After separation from cells: 2 months |
Days Performed
Mon, Thu
Turnaround Time
2 - 6 days
Methodology
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| Quantitative Chemiluminescent Immunoassay |
Reference Range
| Leptin | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sex | Age From | Age To | Type | Range | Range Unit |
| Male | 18 Years | 99 Years | Normal | 0.5 - 12.5 | ng/mL | Female | 18 Years | 99 Years | Normal | 0.5 - 15.2 | ng/mL | Years | 17 Years | Normal | Not Established | ng/mL |
Special Info
Patient should be fasting for 12 hours. Icteric and non-fasting samples are unacceptable.
Clinical Info
Leptin is a protein hormone produced predominantly in the adipocytes. Small amounts are synthesized in the epithelium of the stomach and in the placenta. Leptin plays an important role in the regulation of body weight through the hypothalamic centers of hunger, body temperature and energy expenditure. Increased leptin levels are seen in obese individuals. The fact that elevated leptin levels fail to alter the obese state of these individuals may be related to a 'leptin resistance' and an inability of leptin to enter the cerebral spinal fluid to reach sites in the hypothalamus to regulate appetite. Leptin levels have been shown to change under certain endocrine conditions. For example, when leptin levels are expressed per body adiposity, females have higher leptin levels than do males. This may be related to the distribution of adipose tissue where omental fat vs. subcutaneous fat, which differs between genders, may have different leptin production rates. Its role in metabolism, insulin sensitivity, as a potential therapeutic modality for weight loss, as well as, involvement in endocrine function are still under investigation.