title: Plasma copeptin may not be a sensitive marker of perinatal stress in healthy full-term growth-restricted fetuses.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Intrauterine-growth-restriction-(IUGR) is associated with chronic fetal stress, as well as a phase of enhanced fetal/early postnatal insulin sensitivity, followed by a later emergence of insulin resistance. We aimed to prospectively investigate concentrations of copeptin, a sensitive marker of stress and insulin resistance, in IUGR versus appropriate-for-gestational-age-(AGA) fetuses.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cord blood copeptin concentrations were determined by ELISA in well-defined, non-distressed at birth, asymmetric IUGR (n = 30) and AGA (n = 20) full-term pregnancies. Doppler studies were indicative of placental insufficiency.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Cord blood copeptin concentrations were similar in IUGR cases and AGA controls, after controlling for delivery mode. Copeptin concentrations were markedly elevated in vaginally delivered fetuses (p = 0.001). No association was recorded between fetal copeptin concentrations and maternal age, parity, gestational age, or fetal gender.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cord blood copeptin concentrations are probably not affected by IUGR at term, in the absence of fetal distress, possibly due to a balance between copeptin up-regulation by chronic fetal stress, on one hand, and copeptin down-regulation in the presence of increased insulin sensitivity, on the other hand; thus, copeptin may not be a sensitive marker of chronic perinatal stress in healthy asymmetric IUGR infants. Cord blood copeptin seems to primarily reflect perinatal stress associated with delivery mode.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Neonatology , National and Kapodistrian University of Athens , Athens , Greece and.
authors.forename: Despina D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Briana
authors.affiliation: a Department of Neonatology , National and Kapodistrian University of Athens , Athens , Greece and.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Boutsikou
authors.affiliation: a Department of Neonatology , National and Kapodistrian University of Athens , Athens , Greece and.
authors.forename: Theodora
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Boutsikou
authors.affiliation: b Laboratory of Clinical Biochemistry-Molecular Diagnostics , 2nd Department of Pediatrics, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens , Athens , Greece.
authors.forename: Thanasis
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Dodopoulos
authors.affiliation: b Laboratory of Clinical Biochemistry-Molecular Diagnostics , 2nd Department of Pediatrics, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens , Athens , Greece.
authors.forename: Dimitrios
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gourgiotis
authors.affiliation: a Department of Neonatology , National and Kapodistrian University of Athens , Athens , Greece and.
authors.forename: Ariadne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Malamitsi-Puchner
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric / Q000379:methods*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000737:chemistry*; D005316:Fetal Distress / Q000097:blood; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation / Q000097:blood* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005865:Gestational Age; D006020:Glycopeptides / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D010920:Placenta / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D047929:Term Birth; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D006020:Glycopeptides; C048197:copeptins
keywords: AVP; copeptin; cord blood; insulin; intrauterine growth restriction