Decreased Maternal Serum Leptin in Pregnancies Complicated by Preeclampsia

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether circulating levels of leptin difered between women with preeclampsia and women who had an uncomplicated pregnancy. METHODS: Maternal and umbilical venous plasma leptin concentrations obtained at delivery were compared in 3 6 pairs ofwomen with either preeclampsia or normal pregnancy, matched 1: for prepregnancy body mass index and fetal gestational age at delivery. RESULTS: Prepregnancy body mass index was 21.1 + 2. 1 kg/im2 in either study group (range 17.6-25.3 kg/iM2 and 17.7-25.3 kg/iM2 in the normal and preeclamptic group, respectively). Meanfetal gestational age at delivery was 40.1 + 1.3 weeks and 40.1 + 1.2 weeks in the normal and preeclamptic group, respectively. Median leptin concentrations were significantly lower (P <.0001) in women with preeclampsia (8.3 ng/mL, range 3.5-20.0 ng/mL) than in normal pregnant women (20.2 ng/mL, range 6.0-63.7 ng/mL). Median umbilical venous leptin was not signftcantly diferent between groups (preeclampsia 1 1. 8 ng/mL, range 2.0-3 7.2 ng/mL; normal 7.6 ng/mL, range 1. 6-24.3 ng/mL; P =.377). Umbilical venous leptin levels correlated positively with birth weight in both groups (preeclampsia p = 0.501, P =.002; normal p = 0.517, P =.001), whereas no correlations werefound between maternal andfetal hormone concentrations. Maternal leptin concentrations did not correlate with birth weight. CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that the correlation between umbilical venous leptin concentration and birth weight is independent of the presence ofpreeclampsia. Given the inconsistency in literature concerning circulating leptin levels in preeclampsia, further studies should investigate the regulatory systems of leptin in preeclampsia. (J Soc Gynecol Investig 2001;8:89-93) Copyright ( © 2001 by the Societyfor Gyneco-logic Investigation