Patients 15 years and older with lipodystrophy are eligible for this study. Candidates are screened with a medical history and physical examination, and fasting blood tests. Patients are questioned about their hunger level, given a variety of foods they may choose to eat and questioned again at various intervals about hunger level. The hormones are injected intravenously and then blood samples are drawn. When all the tests are completed, leptin therapy begins.
Blood is drawn once a month to monitor the effects of treatment and drug side effects.
Medication dosage is also increased at these visits. At the end of 4 months, all baseline studies described above are repeated. Throughout the study, all patients complete a form once a week, in which they record their symptoms. Patients with diabetes also measure their blood glucose levels at home before each meal and at bedtime. Males and females.