The aim of this study was to evaluate the change in circulating levels of adipokines, including leptin, adiponectin, resistin, and visfatin, after induction therapy of patients with active inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

We prospectively evaluated 20 patients with Crohn's disease (CD) and 14 patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) who received induction therapy. The disease activity, body mass index (BMI), and C-reactive protein (CRP) and serum adipolines levels were checked before treatment and 10 weeks after treatment.

After induction therapy, significant reduction of disease activity was noted in patients with CD (CD activity index, 267.9±73.7 vs. 50.8±36.5, P <0.001) and patients with UC (Mayo score, 9.8±2.2 vs. 1.4±1.6, P <0.001). The mean serum leptin, adiponectin, resistin, and visfatin levels were 4.0±2.7 ng/mL and 4.4±2.3 ng/mL ( P =0.323), 27.0±20.5 µg/mL and 33.8±26.5µg/mL ( P =0.084), 9.0±4.0 ng/mL and 10.2±3.2 ng/mL ( P =0.108), and 4.6±3.7 ng/mL and 2.5±4.1 ng/mL ( P =0.046) before and after infliximab treatment, respectively. No significant correlation between the changes in BMI, CRP level, or the clinical indices of activity and alterations of the measured adipokines was demonstrated.

The serum levels of leptin, adiponectin, and resistin showed no significant alterations, whereas the serum visfatin level decreased significantly after induction therapy, suggesting a possible pro-inflammatory property of visfatin and a role as a marker of successful therapy of IBD.