title: Maternal visfatin concentration in normal pregnancy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Adipose tissue has now emerged as a powerful endocrine organ via the production of adipokines. Visfatin, a novel adipokine with diabetogenic and immuno-modulatory properties has been implicated in the pathophysiology of insulin resistance in patients with obesity and Type-2 diabetes mellitus. The aim of this study was to determine whether there are changes in the maternal plasma concentration of visfatin with advancing gestation and as a function of maternal weight.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this cross-sectional study, maternal plasma concentrations of visfatin were determined in normal weight and overweight/obese pregnant women in the following gestational age groups: 1) 11-14 weeks (n=52); 2) 19-26 weeks (n=68); 3) 27-34 weeks (n=93); and 4) >37 weeks (n=60). Visfatin concentrations were determined by ELISA. Non parametric statistics were used for analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  1) The median maternal plasma visfatin concentration was higher in pregnant women between 19-26 weeks of gestation than that of those between 11-14 weeks of gestation (P<0.01) and those between 27-34 weeks of gestation (P<0.01); 2) among normal weight pregnant women, the median plasma visfatin concentrations of women between 19-26 weeks of gestation was higher than that of those between 11-14 weeks (P<0.01) and those between 27-34 weeks (P<0.01); and 3) among overweight/obese patients, the median maternal visfatin concentration was similar between the different gestational age groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The median maternal plasma concentration of visfatin peaks between 19-26 and has a nadir between 27-34 weeks of gestation. Normal and overweight/obese pregnant women differed in the pattern of changes in circulating visfatin concentrations as a function of gestational age.
authors.affiliation: Perinatology Research Branch, Intramural Division, NICHD/NIH/DHHS, Bethesda, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Shali
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mazaki-Tovi
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Romero
authors.forename: Juan Pedro
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Kusanovic
authors.forename: Edi
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Vaisbuch
authors.forename: Offer
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Erez
authors.forename: Nandor Gabor
authors.initials: NG
authors.lastname: Than
authors.forename: Tinnakorn
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Chaiworapongsa
authors.forename: Chia-Ling
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Nhan-Chang
authors.forename: Percy
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pacora
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gotsch
authors.forename: Lami
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yeo
authors.forename: Sun Kwon
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Samuel S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Edwin
authors.forename: Sonia S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Hassan
authors.forename: Pooja
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mittal
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D054409:Nicotinamide Phosphoribosyltransferase / Q000097:blood*; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood*; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000097:blood*; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000097:blood*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D054409:Nicotinamide Phosphoribosyltransferase