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Leptin and pre-eclampsia in Black African parturients

  1. G.E. Kafulafula1,2,
  2. J. Moodley1,2,*,
  3. P.J. Ojwang3,
  4. H. Kagoro4

Article first published online: 22 DEC 2003

DOI: 10.1046/j.1471-0528.2002.02043.x

Issue

BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology

BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology

Volume 109, Issue 11, pages 1256–1261, November 2002

Additional Information

How to Cite

Kafulafula, G.E., Moodley, J., Ojwang, P.J. and Kagoro, H. (2002), Leptin and pre-eclampsia in Black African parturients. BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, 109: 1256–1261. doi: 10.1046/j.1471-0528.2002.02043.x

Author Information

  1. 1

    Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Nelson R. Mandela School of Medicine, University of Natal, Durban, South Africa

  2. 2

    MRC/UN Pregnancy Hypertension Research Unit, Nelson R. Mandela School of Medicine, University of Natal, Durban, South Africa

  3. 3

    Department of Chemical Pathology, Nelson R. Mandela School of Medicine, University of Natal, Durban, South Africa

  4. 4

    Nelson R. Mandela School of Medicine, University of Natal, Durban, South Africa

** Dr J. Moodley, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Nelson R. Mandela School of Medicine, Private Bag 7, Congella 4013, South Africa.

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 22 DEC 2003
  2. Article first published online: 22 DEC 2003
  3. Accepted 7 July 2002

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Objective To measure serum concentrations of the hormone leptin during late pregnancy in Black African women with pre-eclampsia, healthy normotensive pregnant women as controls and healthy normotensive non-pregnant women; secondly, to explore the relationship between leptin and obesity.

Design Observational, cross sectional study.

Setting Antenatal clinics, antenatal wards, gynaecology out patient and family planning clinics of a tertiary hospital, Durban, South Africa.

Population Pregnant and non-pregnant Black African women.

Method Serum leptin was measured by a homologous radio-immunoassay technique. Simple anthropometric parameters were used to explore the relationship between leptin and obesity. In each group, leptin levels were compared between obese (body mass index, BMI ≥ 30 kg m−2) and lean women.

Main outcome measures Serum leptin concentrations, anthropometric parameters, mean blood pressures and proteinuria.

Results There were 68 women with pre-eclampsia, 92 healthy normotensive pregnant women (controls) and 32 healthy normotensive non-pregnant women. Serum leptin levels were higher in pregnant compared with non-pregnant women [26.66 (1.96) and 25.89 (1.65) vs 17.97 (2.11) ng/mL, P= 0.02]. Weight and BMI showed the greatest correlation with leptin both in pregnant (r= 0.61 and r= 0.58, respectively) and non-pregnant women (r= 0.74 and 0.79, respectively). There was no significant difference in the mean concentrations of leptin between women with and those without pre-eclampsia [26.66 (1.96) vs 25.89 (1.65) ng/mL, respectively, P= 0.95].

Conclusion Pregnancy is a hyperleptinaemic state. There is no difference in serum leptin levels between Black African women with pre-eclampsia and healthy normotensive pregnant women. Serum leptin concentration is largely determined by the degree of adiposity.

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