title: Concentrations of prealbumin and some appetite-controlling hormones in pregnancies associated with hyperemesis gravidarium.
abstract: Background Hyperemesis gravidarum, which affects 0.3-2.3% of pregnancies, is defined as excessive vomiting during pregnancy and usually starts in week 4 or 5 of gestation. Symptoms include weight loss, dehydration, ketonaemia, ketonuria, fasting acidosis, alkalosis due to hydrochloric acid loss and hypokalaemia and its exact cause is unknown. The present study was undertaken to investigate the relationship between prealbumin, ghrelin, nesfatin-1 and obestatin concentrations in pregnancies associated with hyperemesis gravidarum. Methods A total of 40 pregnant females with hyperemesis gravidarum and 38 pregnant females without hyperemesis gravidarum as controls were included in this study. Serum concentrations of prealbumin, ghrelin, obestatin and nesfatin-1 were measured. Results There were no significant differences in age, gestational week, gravidity and parity between the two groups. Body mass index was significantly lower in cases than in controls. Serum ghrelin and prealbumin concentrations were significantly lower in cases than in controls ( P  <0.05 and P < 0.001, respectively). There was no significant difference in serum concentrations of obestatin and nesfatin-1 between the two groups. There was no significant association between body mass index and serum ghrelin, nesfatin-1, obestatin or prealbumin concentrations in patients with hyperemesis gravidarum. Conclusions Decreased serum concentrations of ghrelin and prealbumin in patients with hyperemesis gravidarum are independent of body mass index. Based on our results, we believe that ghrelin may be considered to play a role in the aetiopathogenesis of hyperemesis gravidarum and that hyperemesis gravidarum may result in disruption of the relationship between nesfatin-1 and ghrelin. In addition, we believe that the measurement of serum prealbumin may be used for assessing nutritional status in pregnancy.
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Diskapi Yildirim Beyazit Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Gulfer
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ozturk
authors.affiliation: 2 Zekai Tahir Burak Women's Health Care Education and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: A Seval
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Ozgu-Erdinc
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Diskapi Yildirim Beyazit Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Fatma
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ucar
authors.affiliation: 3 Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Zeynep
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Ginis
authors.affiliation: 4 Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Gonul
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Erden
authors.affiliation: 2 Zekai Tahir Burak Women's Health Care Education and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Nuri
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Danisman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001066:Appetite / Q000502:physiology; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D005215:Fasting / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D005865:Gestational Age; D054439:Ghrelin / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D006939:Hyperemesis Gravidarum / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D000080866:Nucleobindins; D011228:Prealbumin / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D011247:Pregnancy; D015398:Signal Transduction; D015431:Weight Loss
chemical_list: D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D054439:Ghrelin; C000630650:NUCB2 protein, human; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D000080866:Nucleobindins; D011228:Prealbumin; C505799:obestatin, human
keywords: Hyperemesis gravidarum; ghrelin; nesfatin-1; obestatin; prealbumin