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Original article
Increased leptin concentration in preterm infants of pre-eclamptic mothers
  1. Timo Hytinanttia,
  2. Heikki A Koistinenb,
  3. Veikko A Koivistob,
  4. Sirkka-Liisa Karonenc,
  5. Eeva-Marja Rutanend,
  6. Sture Anderssond
  1. aHelsinki City Maternity Hospital, Sofianlehdonkatu 5, SF-00610 Helsinki, Finland, bDepartment of Medicine, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland, cDepartment of Clinical Chemistry, Helsinki University Central Hospital, dDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Helsinki University Central Hospital
  1. Dr Hytinantti

Abstract

AIM To study the effect of maternal pre-eclampsia on cord plasma leptin concentrations in preterm infants.

METHODS Leptin concentration was analysed in cord plasma of 74 preterm infants, gestational age 24 to 32 weeks. Of these, 14 were born to pre-eclamptic mothers, in 10 intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) was present, and 59 had been exposed antenatally to corticosteroids.

RESULTS The mean (SD) concentration of cord plasma leptin was 1.31 (0.88) μg/l. A significant correlation was found between leptin concentration and gestational age (r = 0.336; p = 0.0037). Leptin levels were higher in infants of pre-eclamptic mothers (p = 0.0007), in those with IUGR (p = 0.0005), and in infants exposed antenatally to corticosteroids (p = 0.02). In multiple regression analysis, leptin was associated with gestational age and maternal pre-eclampsia (both p < 0.05), but not with antenatal corticosteroids.

CONCLUSIONS Increased fetal leptin in maternal pre-eclampsia may reflect a physiological adaptation to fetal stress such as hypoxia.

  • leptin
  • preterm infants
  • pre-eclampsia
  • hypoxia

https://doi.org/10.1136/fn.83.1.F13

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