Maternal Serum Resistin Is Reduced in First Trimester Preeclampsia Pregnancies and Is a Marker of Clinical Severity

Abstract

Objective: To examine whether resistin levels in first trimester maternal serum are associated with insulin resistance or preeclampsia (PE). Methods: A case-control study of maternal serum resistin concentration conducted using 285 normal pregnancies and 123 PE pregnancies matched for gestational age, parity and maternal age. Samples were taken in gestational weeks 10⁺⁰–13⁺⁶. Results: There was a negative correlation between resistin and clinical severity of PE, but no correlation with IS, TNF-α, body mass index, birth weight and pregnancy length. Conclusions: Resistin is reduced in first trimester of PE pregnancies, particularly in severe PE. Inflammation and IS cannot explain this phenomenon.

• placenta
• pre-eclampsia
• prenatal screening

Acknowledgments

We gratefully acknowledge the expert technical assistance of Pia Lind and Pernilla Rasmussen.

FUNDING

The authors also gratefully acknowledge the financial support of the Danish Medical Research Council, Copenhagen University, The John and Birthe Meyer Foundation, The Ivan Nielsen Foundation, The Else and Mogens Wedell-Wedellsborg Foundation, The Dagmar Marshall Foundation, The Egmont Foundation, The Fetal Medicine Foundation, The Augustinus Foundation, The Gangsted Foundation, The A.P. Møllerller Foundation, The Mads Clausens Foundation, The Copenhagen Hospital Corporation, SAFE Network of Excellence and Statens Serum Institut.

Declaration of interest

The authors report no conflict of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.