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EVALUATION OF SERUM LEPTIN LEVELS IN PRE- ECLAMPSIA AT THE MATERNITY UNIT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF OBSTETRICS AND GYNAECOLOGY OF THE LAGOS STATE UNIVERSITY TEACHING HOSPITAL (LASUTH), IKEJA – A COMPARATIVE STUDY
Abstract
Background: The study was designed to compare the serum leptin concentrations in pre
eclamptic pregnant women to that of normotensive pregnant women and to investigate the
possibility of leptin being used as a marker of severity of pre – eclampsia.
Methods: A cross–sectional study was carried out in 72 pre – eclamptic women (26 with
mild pre–eclampsia and 46 with severe pre–eclampsia) and 72 pregnant normotensive
controls, matched for age, parity (primiparity) and body weight, in the third trimester of
pregnancy. Serum leptin levels were evaluated in all subjects using a human leptin ELISA
test kit. Leptin levels were compared between the groups and correlated to mean arterial
blood pressures, degree of protenuria and body mass index in both groups. Data was analyzed
using Epi-Info 3.5.3 and SPSS 17.0
Results: Serum leptin levels were significantly higher in women with pre-eclampsia
(20.83±14.72) compared to the controls (10.44±7.25), p=0.000. Leptin levels were also
significantly higher in severe pre-eclamptics (23.95±14.70) compared to mild pre-eclamptics
(15.31±13.30, p=0.016). Leptin levels also correlated significantly with proteinuria (r=0.40;
p=0.001) and mean arterial blood pressure (r=0.25; p=0.036), but not with BMI (r=0.12;
p=0.336).
Conclusion: The findings suggest that leptin levels are higher in pre-eclamptic women
compared to normotensive women and may be used as a marker of severity of the disease.
