MedWire News: People with high blood levels of the hormone leptin, which is produced by fat cells, face an increased risk of developing a condition called Barrett's oesophagus, researchers have found.

Barrett's oesophagus, which is associated with an increased risk of oesophageal cancer, is a condition in which cells that line the food pipe are damaged by long-term exposure to stomach acid.

Dr David Whiteman, from the Queensland Institute of Medical Research in Brisbane, Australia, and team explain that previous studies have shown that high levels of leptin and another obesity-related hormone called adiponectin are linked to a number of cancers.

But they add that the relashionship between leptin and an individual's risk of Barrett's oesophagus is not known.

To investigate, the researchers studied blood leptin levels in 306 Australian patients, aged between 18 and 79 years, who were diagnosed with Barrett's oesophagus between 2003 and 2006, and 309 people from the general population who did not have the condition.

Analysis revelaed that, in men, high levels of leptin in the blood were associated with more than a three-fold increased risk of Barrett's oesophagus compared with low levels of this hormone.

This association between leptin levels and the risk of Barrett's oesophagus in men was not explained by body mass index or gastro-oesophageal reflux disease, which are known risk factors for the disease.

In contrast, however, high leptin levels in women appeared to be associated with a reduced risk of Barrett's oesophagus.

Writing in an advance online publication by the journal Gut, Dr Whiteman and colleagues conclude: "High serum [blood] leptin is associated with increased risk of Barrett's oesophagus among males but not females.

They add that further research is now needed into why high leptin levels are associated with an increased risk of Barrett's oesophagus in men only.