Adiponectin in severe preeclampsia.
OBJECTIVE
Adiponectin is an adipokine with insulin-sensitizing, anti-atherogenic, anti-inflammatory and angiogenic properties. The aims of this study were to determine whether maternal plasma adiponectin concentrations differ between patients with severe preeclampsia and those with normal pregnancies, and to explore the relationship between plasma adiponectin and the results of Doppler velocimetry of the uterine arteries.


METHODS
This case-control study included two groups: (1) patients with severe preeclampsia (n=50) and (2) patients with normal pregnancies (n=150). Pulsed-wave and color Doppler ultrasound examination of the uterine arteries were performed. Plasma adiponectin concentrations were determined by ELISA. Non-parametric statistics were used for analysis.


RESULTS
(1) Patients with severe preeclampsia had a higher median plasma concentration of adiponectin than that of normal pregnant women. (2) The median plasma adiponectin concentration did not differ between women with severe preeclampsia who had a high impedance to blood flow in the uterine arteries and those with normal impedance to blood flow. (3) Among patients with normal pregnancies, plasma adiponectin concentrations were negatively correlated with BMI in the first trimester and at sampling.


CONCLUSIONS
Women with severe preeclampsia have a higher median plasma concentration of adiponectin than that of normal pregnant women. This may reflect a compensatory feedback mechanism to the metabolically-altered, anti-angiogenic and pro-atherogenic state of severe preeclampsia.
Nien
Jyh Kae
JK
Perinatology Research Branch, Intramural Division, NICHD/NIH/DHHS, Hutzel Women's Hospital, Bethesda, MD, USA.
Mazaki-Tovi
Shali
S
Romero
Roberto
R
Erez
Offer
O
Kusanovic
Juan Pedro
JP
Gotsch
Francesca
F
Pineles
Beth L
BL
Gomez
Ricardo
R
Edwin
Samuel
S
Mazor
Moshe
M
Espinoza
Jimmy
J
Yoon
Bo Hyun
BH
Hassan
Sonia S
SS
D052242:Adiponectin / Q000097:blood*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000097:blood*; D011247:Pregnancy; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler; D014599:Uterus / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*
D052242:Adiponectin