Serum leptin levels in pregnant Pakistani females: relationship with body mass index and placental weight.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the serum leptin levels in Pakistani pregnant subjects at the time of delivery and to ascertain the relationship between serum leptin levels and related variables (weight, body mass index, placental weight, gestational age, parity) at delivery.


METHODS
Lady Dufferin Hospital, and Ziauddin Hospital Karachi.


METHODS
Leptin concentration was measured in 110 subjects from venous samples, using Active Human ELISA Kit (DSL-10-23100). Samples were selected according to the availability.


RESULTS
Mean maternal weight, body mass index and placental weight were 64.3 +/- 13.8 kg, 27.1 +/- 5.8 kg/m2 and 523.5 +/- 90 gm, respectively. Gestational age was 36-41 weeks and maternal age was 18-35 years. Mean serum leptin level was 27.9 +/- 18.1 ng/ml. Serum leptin levels were found to be positively correlated with body weight (r = 0.73, p < 0.01), body mass index (r = 0.80, p < 0.01) and placental weight (r = 0.34, p < 0.05). Increased leptin levels were found in multigravida mothers (mean 30.2 +/- 17.5) than in primigravida mothers (23.1 +/- 18.9).


CONCLUSIONS
Our results suggest that leptin does play role in body weight and energy regulation during pregnancy. The significant positive correlation between leptin and placental weight suggests that placenta may be the site of synthesis and/or secretion of leptin during pregnancy.
Department of Physiology, Jinnah Medical College, Karachi.
G R
GR
Lakho
K
K
Nazir
T
T
Chundrigar
N
N
Jabeen
M A
MA
Qureshi
D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020738:Leptin / Q000097:blood*; D016014:Linear Models; D010154:Pakistan; D010920:Placenta / Q000502:physiology*; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000097:blood*
D020738:Leptin