Adipokinins in pregnancies at risk of preterm delivery.

Objective: To compare adipokinins between women experiencing preterm labor (PTL) and prior preterm deliveries (PTD).

Study Design: In this prospective observational cohort, 110 women with a singleton <35 weeks at increased risk of PTD were studied. Serum leptin, adiponectin, and resistin were obtained at three times (23-34 weeks, 35-36 weeks, at delivery) and analyzed via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The adipokinins were compared across time and between PTL (n = 59) and prior PTD (n = 51) groups using generalized estimated equation models.

Results: There were no differences in leptin, adiponectin, or resistin levels over the three times between the PTL and PTD groups. There was a trend toward higher leptin levels (p = 0.06 unadjusted analysis, p = 0.09 adjusted analysis) at 23-34 weeks. When stratified by body mass index (BMI), there were differences in leptin (p < 0.001 for BMI < 30; p = 0.77 for BMI ≥ 30) and adiponectin (p = 0.04 for BMI < 30; p = 0.09 for BMI ≥ 30), but not in resistin over the three times between the PTL and prior PTD groups.

Conclusion: There were no significant differences in adipokinins in women with PTL and a prior PTD. The trends toward higher leptin levels at 23-34 weeks in women with PTL may represent a compensatory response and require further evaluation in the study of treatments for PTL.