The Effect of Leptin on Chronic Tympanic Membrane Perforation: Experimental Rat Study

Objective: The aim is to investigate the effect of leptin on chronic tympanic membrane (TM) perforation in topical and systemic applications together with clinical and histopathological findings. Methods: The study was carried out on 42 (84 ears) Sprague dawley adult female rats. Chronic TM perforation model was developed in the rats. Subjects were divided in give groups together with the sham group. Topical saline, topical leptin, intraperitoneal leptin, and topical phosphate buffer solution were applied. Temporal bullas were removed on the 35th day for histopathological examination. Fibroblast proliferation, leucocyte infiltration, neovascularization, TM thicknesses, and subepithelial thickness values were compared. Results: When the study groups were examined in terms of the mean values of TM thickness and the ratios of subepithelial thickness grades, no significant difference was found between the groups. When the values of fibroblast proliferation, leukocyte infiltration, and neovascularization were examined, it was observed that these values were significantly lower in the topical and systemic leptin group than the topical phosphate buffer solution group and the sham group. When the groups, to which systemic and topical leptin were given, were compared, no statistically significant difference was found in terms of these values. Conclusion: According to the histological findings, topical and systemic use of leptin affects the recovery parameters of chronic TM perforation adversely. Cite this article as: Tofar M, Yaşar M, Hira İ, Karaman H, Mutlu C, Özcan İ. The effect of leptin on chronic tympanic membrane perforation: Experimental rat study. B-ENT. 2022;18(4):267-272.