IL6 and obesity due to melanocortin 4 receptor deficiency: In addition to total leukocyte counts, obesity has also been reported to increase platelet counts and platelet activation (40, 41), as well as CRP (42, 43), which could be related to the increase in IL-6 in these subjects, as this adipokine appears to induce hepatic CRP synthesis, as well as platelet and lymphocyte production (44, 45).