Antepartum and postpartum changes in adipokines, endothelial dysfunction, inflammatory markers and other biochemical...

This study aimed at evaluating the role played by insulin resistance, lipid metabolism disorder, oxidative stress, resistin, vaspin, Interleukin-18 and asymmetric dimethyl arginine as a marker for endothelial dysfunction in the pathogenesis of preeclampsia. This prospective observational cohort study involved 60 women who were classified into: 20 non-pregnant women (group 1 or control group), 20 normally pregnant women (group 2) and 20 preeclamptic women (group 3) at their third trimester. The pregnant women were assessed at their third trimester and further re-evaluated four weeks after delivery. The assessment included demography, assessment of proteinuria and urinary protein to creatinine ratio, blood pressure measurement and assessment of fasting blood glucose, fasting insulin level, lipid panel and the circulating levels of malondialdehyde, resistin, vaspin, interleukin-18 and asymmetric dimethyl arginine. Preeclamptic women showed more atherogenic lipid profile, significantly higher Homeostatic Model Assessment for Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR) and significantly elevated levels of malondialdehyde, resistin, vaspin and interleukin-18 than the other study groups. Serum asymmetric dimethyl arginine concentration showed non-significant difference among the three study groups. The levels of resistin and vaspin showed significant decrease four weeks postpartum in preeclamptic group. We concluded that, preeclampsia was associated with insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, oxidative stress, inflammation and significant changes in adipokines; resistin and vaspin. Furthermore, the significant increase in the serum levels of resistin and vaspin at the third trimester and their significant decline four weeks postpartum in preeclamptic group focus the attention on the role played by these adipokines in the pathogenesis of preeclampsia.