Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 11, 2026

Disruption of the Mouse Blood-Brain Barrier by Small Extracellular Vesicles from Hypoxic Human Placentas
Published on: January 26, 2024
Hyperleptinemia as a prognostic factor for preeclampsia: a cohort study
Hugo Mendieta Zerón1, Verónica Jackeline García Solorio, Pamela Montserrat Nava Díaz
1Molecular Biology Laboratory, Medical Research Center (CICMED), Autonomous University of the State of Mexico (UAEMex), Toluca, México. mezh_74@yahoo.com
Introduction:
Leptin is an adipokine which has a direct relationship to obesity. Our aim was to measure this hormone in pregnant women at three months intervals throughout their pregnancies to determine the serum value of those who developed preeclampsia.
Material And Methods:
We followed 19 women (median age 24.8 +/- 5.7 years) with pre-gestational Body Mass Index (BMI) less than 25 kg/m2, 21 (median age 26.1 +/- 4.6 years) with BMI higher than 25 kg/m2 and 16 (median age 30.9 +/- 5.8 years) with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) (median age 30.9 +/- 5.8 years), recruited in the 1st trimester of pregnancy. Serum levels of leptin were measured with radioimmunoassay (RIA) technique.
Results:
In the first trimester of pregnancy leptin levels showed statistically significant differences between normal weight and overweight-obese women (p < 0.001), diabetic women (p < 0.05) and the subgroup of preeclamptic women (p < 0.001). For those women with PGBMI > or = 40 kg/m2 and leptin > or = 40 ng/ml in the second trimester, the Odds Ratio (OR) to develop preeclampsia was of 47.95% CI (4.1-527.2). Analyzing leptin values with ROC curves, the greatest area under the curve (AUC) was for leptin in the second trimester (0.773, CI: 0.634-0.911).
Conclusion:
Women with morbid obesity (BMI > or = 40 kg/m2) had significantly higher levels of serum leptin (p < 0.01) and a value of 40 ng/ml of this hormone seems to be predictive of developing preeclampsia in this group of patients.
Related Concept Videos
Type II Diabetes Mellitus III: Clinical Manifestations and Diagnosis
Pathophysiology of Diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is characterized by autoimmune-mediated destruction of pancreatic β cells, with environmental factors potentially triggering this process in genetically susceptible individuals. Despite many not having a family history, certain genes increase susceptibility, suggesting a...
Hyperglycemia
Hypertension III: Clinical Manifestations and Diagnostic Studies
Nephrotic Syndrome II : Assessment and Medical Management
Cell Specific Gene Expression
