Serum leptin of patients with AIS were significantly lower when compared with healthy controls, with the weighted mean difference (WMD) of − 0.95 (95% CI − 1.43 to − 0.48, p < 0.0001) after reducing the heterogeneity using six studies for meta-analysis, while sOB-R and ghrelin level was significantly higher in AIS group when compared with control group, with the WMD of 2.64 (95% CI 1.60 to 3.67, p < 0.001) and 1.42 (95% CI 0.48 to 2.35, p = 0.003), respectively. The gene discussed is GHRL; the disease is androgen insensitivity syndrome.