Hyperleptinaemia, insulin resistance and survival in peritoneal dialysis patients.

AIM: The aim of this study was to clarify the relationship between insulin resistance (IR) and glucose and lipid metabolism in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients. The study also investigated the prognostic factors for survival in long-term peritoneal dialysis patients. METHODS: Participants were recruited from July 1 to August 1, 2011, based on selection criteria. Patients were divided into two groups, high (H) and low (L) group according to the median value of homeostasis model assessment of IR (HOMA-IR). Type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) patients were chosen as positive controls. Clinical, plasma biochemical and metabolic parameters were observed and recorded at the outset and follow-up of this study. Mortality related factors were also detected, and statistical analyses were performed. RESULTS: A total of 157 cases with an average age of 55 ± 15 years were included. There were 26, 66 and 65 cases in the DM, H and L groups, respectively. Younger age, lower body mass index, high sensitive C-reactive protein (hsCRP) level, higher normalized protein catabolic rate (nPCR) were found in the L group compared with the other two groups. HOMA-IR positively correlated with age, leptin and triglyceride levels, and it negatively correlated with BMI. L group had better survival rate than H and DM groups. Dialysis duration, serum leptin level, nPCR and hsCRP were statistically associated with mortality. CONCLUSION: Insulin resistance may play an important role in the pathophysiology of glucose and lipid metabolism. Dialysis duration, leptin, nPCR and hsCRP may be risk factors for mortality in PD patients.