Maternal visfatin concentration in normal pregnancy

Abstract

Objective: Adipose tissue has now emerged as a powerful endocrine organ via the production of adipokines. Visfatin, a novel adipokine with diabetogenic and immuno-modulatory properties has been implicated in the pathophysiology of insulin resistance in patients with obesity and Type-2 diabetes mellitus. The aim of this study was to determine whether there are changes in the maternal plasma concentration of visfatin with advancing gestation and as a function of maternal weight.

Study design: In this cross-sectional study, maternal plasma concentrations of visfatin were determined in normal weight and overweight/obese pregnant women in the following gestational age groups: 1) 11-14 weeks (n=52); 2) 19-26 weeks (n=68); 3) 27-34 weeks (n=93); and 4) >37 weeks (n=60). Visfatin concentrations were determined by ELISA. Non parametric statistics were used for analysis.

Results: 1) The median maternal plasma visfatin concentration was higher in pregnant women between 19-26 weeks of gestation than that of those between 11-14 weeks of gestation (P<0.01) and those between 27-34 weeks of gestation (P<0.01); 2) among normal weight pregnant women, the median plasma visfatin concentrations of women between 19-26 weeks of gestation was higher than that of those between 11-14 weeks (P<0.01) and those between 27-34 weeks (P<0.01); and 3) among overweight/obese patients, the median maternal visfatin concentration was similar between the different gestational age groups.

Conclusion: The median maternal plasma concentration of visfatin peaks between 19-26 and has a nadir between 27-34 weeks of gestation. Normal and overweight/obese pregnant women differed in the pattern of changes in circulating visfatin concentrations as a function of gestational age.

Figure 1

Comparison of median maternal plasma concentrations of visfatin between 11–14, 19–26, 27–34, and ≥37 weeks of gestation. Pregnant women between 19–26 weeks of gestation had a higher median concentration of visfatin than women between 11–14 weeks of gestation (median: 17.5 ng/ml range: 5.6–31.0 vs. 15.0 ng/ml, 9.3–27.8, respectively; p<0.01). Similarly, pregnant women between 19–26 weeks of gestation had a higher median concentration of visfatin than women between 27–34 weeks of gestation (median: 17.5 ng/ml range: 5.6–31.0 vs. 14.8 ng/ml, 5.6–37.0, respectively; p <0.01). There was no difference in the median maternal plasma visfatin concentration between the other groups.

Figure 2

Median maternal plasma visfatin concentrations during pregnancy in women of normal weight (BMI ≥25) and overweight/obese (BMI >25). Among normal weight pregnant women, the median plasma visfatin concentration of women between 19–26 weeks of gestation was higher than those between 11–14 weeks (median: 18.1 ng/ml range: 5.6–31.0 vs. 14.7 ng/ml, 9.4–27.8, respectively; p < 0.01) and those between 27–34 weeks (median: 18.1 ng/ml range: 5.6–31.0 vs. 13.9 ng/ml, 5.6–36.4, respectively; p < 0.01). Among overweight/obese patients, the median maternal visfatin concentration was comparable between the different gestational age groups.