Maternal plasma endocan levels in intrauterine growth restriction

Maternal Serum and Umbilical Cord Brain Natriuretic Peptide Levels in Fetuses with Intrauterine Growth Restriction

Aim: We compared maternal serum and fetal cord blood proBNP levels in healthy pregnancies to those with intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR). Methods: Prospectively, maternal and cord blood samples at childbirth of 40 pregnant women with isolated IUGR and 40 healthy pregnant women were evaluated for ProBNP levels. Results: The mean serum ProBNP level was significantly higher in newborn cord blood with IUGR than in the control group (181.28 ± 145.37 vs. 91.41 ± 49.77 pg/mL, p = <0.01). Mean serum ProBNP level trended higher in women with IUGR compared to the controls, but was not statistically significant (124.21 ± 113.32 vs. 88.73 ± 85.18 pg/mL, p= >0.05). Conclusion: Third trimester mean proBNP in fetal cord blood are increased in IUGR fetuses at term birth compared to pregnancies with normal fetal growth.

Comparison of the maternal serum endocan levels in preterm premature rupture of membrane and normal pregnancy

OBJECTIVE

Endocan is a novel marker of endothelial inflammation. In this study, we aimed to show whether there was a significant difference between the endocan levels of pregnant women with and without preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM and non-PPROM). Also, we aimed to find a relation between endocan levels and the latent period.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Pregnant women with PPROM between 28 and 34 weeks of gestation and those without PPROM with similar gestational weeks were included in the study. A total of 88 pregnant women, 44 with PROM and 44 healthy pregnancies, were evaluated. Demographic and obstetric features, leukocyte, and endocan levels of the study and control groups were compared.

RESULTS

The demographic features and obstetric history of both groups were similar. The mean leukocyte and endocan levels of the study group were higher than in the control group (p < 0.001 and 0.029, respectively). The leukocyte level was the only independent factor predicting PPROM after multivariate logistic regression analysis.

CONCLUSION

Although the endocan levels were higher in patients with PPROM, multivariate analysis showed that the only independent predictive factor was the leukocyte level.

Serum Endocan, Neuron-Specific Enolase and Ischemia-Modified Albumin Levels in Newborns with Partial Blood Exchange Transfusion

BACKGROUND

Hyperviscosity of blood secondary to polycythemia results in increased resistance to blood flow and decrease in delivery of oxygen.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate whether serum endocan, NSE and IMA levels can be compared in terms of endothelial injury/ dysfunction and neuronal damage in term neonates with polycythemia who underwent PET.

METHODS

38 symptomatic polycythemic newborns having PET and 38 healthy newborns were included in the study. Blood samples for endocan, NSE and IMA were taken at only postnatal 24 hours of age in the control group and in polycytemia group just before PET, at 24 and 72 hours after PET.

RESULTS

The polycythemia group had higher serum endocan(1073,4 ± 644,8 vs. 378,8 ± 95,9ng/ml; p<0.05), IMA(1,32 ± 0,34 vs.0,601 ± 0,095absorbance unit; p<0.05) and NSE(44,7 ± 4,3 vs. 26,91 ± 7,12μg/l; p<0.05) levels than control group before the PET procedure. At 24 hours after PET, IMA(0,656 ± 0,07 vs. 0,601 ± 0,095absorbance unit; p<0.05) and endocan(510,9 ± 228,6 vs. 378,8 ± 95,9ng/ml; p<0.05) levels were closer to the control group, being still statistically significant higher. NSE levels decreased to control group levels having no difference between the PET and control groups at 24 hours after PET (28,98 ± 6,5 vs. 26,91 ± 7,12μg/l; p>0.05). At 72 hours after PET the polycythemia and control groups did not differ statistically for IMA, endocan and NSE levels (p>0.05).

CONCLUSION

Serum endocan and IMA levels can be used as a biomarker for endothelial damage/ dysfunction and tissue hypoxia in infants with symptomatic polycytemia.