Abstract: To explore the correlation of serum leptin level with gastrointestinal movement in uremic patients, the serum leptin level was detected by ELISA in 26 uremic patients and 20 healthy volunteers. The migrating motor complex (MMC) of all preceding ones were detected by applying gastrointestinal manometry technology. Mean serum leptin concentration was significantly higher in the uremia than that in the control ((18.21±12.45) vs (25.81±20.04) μg/L, P<0.05). There were 5 cases (5/26, 19.2%) having normal MMC Ⅲ phase in uremic patients, which was significantly lower than that in the normal ones (14/20,70%, P<0.01). The irregular gastrointestinal contracted movement, which was from MMC Ⅰ phase to Ⅱ phase return to Iphase, was very frequent in most of the patients who were short of MMC Ⅲ phase. Hyperleptinemia and dysfunction of gastrointestinal movements exist in uremic patients. Hyperleptinemia may restrain MMC to a certain degree.

Key words: uremia, leptin, gastrointestinal movement