title: Alterations of maternal and fetal leptin concentrations in hypertensive disorders of pregnancy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate whether hypertensive disorders of pregnancy alter the maternal and fetal leptin levels.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty primigravidas between 28 and 34 weeks of gestation were divided into three groups: group A consisted of 17 normal pregnant women with a mean gestational age of 31 weeks, group B consisted of 15 women with gestational hypertension without proteinuria with a mean gestational age of 30 weeks and group C consisted of 18 pre-eclamptic women with a mean gestational age of 31 weeks.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The pre-eclamptics had significantly higher serum leptin levels than those in normal pregnancies (p<0.001) but no difference was noted between normal and gestational hypertensive pregnancies. Pre-eclamptic women had significantly higher umbilical vein leptin levels (4.68+/-1.66ng/ml) compared to normal pregnancies (1.92+/-0.71ng/ml) and those with gestational hypertension (2.47+/-0.81ng/ml).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pre-eclampsia is associated with an increase in maternal plasma leptin levels and fetal of leptin production increases in gestational hypertension and even more in pre-eclampsia.
authors: 2nd Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Athens, Areteion Hospital, 76, Vas. Sophias Av., 115 28, Athens, Greece.
authors: N
authors: N
authors: Vitoratos
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Chrystodoulacos
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Kouskouni
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Salamalekis
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Creatsas
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000097:blood*; D020738:Leptin / Q000097:blood*; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000097:blood; D011247:Pregnancy; D011249:Pregnancy Complications, Cardiovascular / Q000097:blood*; D012016:Reference Values
chemical_list: D020738:Leptin