Correlation between maternal first trimester plasma leptin levels and birth weight among normotensive and preeclamptic women.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the connection between maternal first trimester serum leptin levels and newborn weight. METHODS: The study included 37 preeclamptic women and 53 normotensive women who considered the control group. Maternal blood samples were withdrawn at 13 weeks of gestation for the measurement of leptin concentrations. Birth weights were transformed to z-scores according to maternal and obstetrical features, based on customized centiles. Non-parametric tests, student's t-test, Pearson's correlation, Spearman's correlation and linear regression analysis were performed in our analysis. RESULTS: Pre-pregnancy body mass index and first trimester maternal plasma leptin levels were significantly higher among women with preeclampsia (p=0.015 and p<0.001, respectively). Birth weight z-score was negatively correlated with leptin levels (r= -0.570, p<0.001), in preeclamptic group and in control group (r= -0.477, p<0.001). The regression modelling demonstrated a significant negative association between birth weight z-scores and leptin for both groups. CONCLUSION: Maternal first trimester serum leptin demonstrates a significant negative association with neonatal weight in preeclamptic pregnancies and to a lesser extent in normotensive pregnancies. A possible leptin's involvement in pathophysiological adaptations that define the foetal growth potential can be supported.

Relation between first trimester maternal serum leptin levels and body mass index in normotensive and pre-eclamptic pregnancies--role of leptin as a marker of pre-eclampsia: a prospective case-control study.

OBJECTIVE: We measured first trimester plasma leptin concentrations in 37 women who subsequently developed pre-eclampsia and 53 normotensive controls to determine the interrelation between leptin and body mass index (BMI) in both groups. We further investigated the association between the risks for pre-eclampsia with maternal leptin levels. METHODS: Bloods samples were collected at 13 weeks. Non-parametric tests, Spearman's correlation, linear regression analysis and multiple logistic regression analysis were applied in our data. RESULTS: 1 kg/m(2) increase in pre-pregnancy BMI was related to a 2.747 (95% CI: 3.242-2.252) ng/ml rise in leptin concentration among cases and 2.502 (95% CI: 2.873-2.131) ng/ml rise in leptin concentrations among controls. Increased leptin concentration (>or=25.3 ng/ml ) in lean women is associated with a 18.8-fold increased risk of pre-eclampsia (adjusted OR: 18.8, CI: 1.8-194, p = 0.014 ). Leptin treated as a continuous variable is a significant predictor of pre-eclampsia (adjusted OR: 1.08, CI: 1.018-1.133, p = 0.009). CONCLUSION: Increased leptin concentration can definitely contribute to the prediction of pre-eclampsia in lean women, but this is not the case in overweight women. Further research in terms of longitudinal case-control studies is required to clarify the predictive value of pre-eclampsia.

Serum levels of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 correlate with advanced and metastatic disease and poor prognosis in gastric cancer.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to compare the levels of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 in gastric cancer patients and healthy controls and to evaluate their clinical significance. METHODS: The serum levels of the intercellular adhesion molecule-1 were measured in 53 patients with gastric cancer and in 39 healthy controls by an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay and were associated with clinicopathological features, patient survival and established tumor markers. RESULTS: Serum levels of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 in patients with gastric cancer were significantly higher in comparison with healthy controls. These levels correlated with tumor stage, and with lymph node and distant metastases. Elevated serum levels of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 were a significant prognostic factor for poor survival but not independent of disease stage and type of resection. Elevated serum ICAM-1 levels correlated significantly with both elevated serum CA 19-9 and elevated CEA levels. CONCLUSION: Serum levels of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 in gastric cancer patients correlate with advanced and metastatic disease and with poor prognosis although their use as tumor markers remains to be determined.