Circulating levels of copeptin, a novel biomarker in pre-eclampsia

Aims: Increasing evidence supports the participation of metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance in the pathogenesis of pre-eclampsia. Copeptin is co-synthesized with vasopressin and is a new and promising novel marker of metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance. Our aim was to investigate copeptin levels in normotensive pregnant, mild and severe pre-eclamptic women. Materials and Methods: We included 96 pregnant women who received antenatal and obstetric care at the perinatology clinic of our hospital. They were divided into three groups: women with normal ongoing pregnancy (n = 32), those with mild pre-eclampsia (n = 32) and those with severe pre-eclampsia (n = 32). Doppler velocimetry measurements of the uterine and umbilical arteries were performed for each patient. Plasma levels of copeptin were quantified with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results: Plasma levels of copeptin were 0.31 +/- 0.09 ng/mL in the normotensive pregnant group, 0.62 +/- 0.16 ng/mL in the mild pre-eclamptic group and 0.85 +/- 0.18 ng/mL in the severe pre-eclamptic group (P < 0.001). Copeptin levels in pre-eclamptic patients with abnormal Doppler velocimetry were significantly higher than in those with normal Doppler velocimetry. Conclusions: These results suggest that increased maternal levels of copeptin may be involved in the pathogenesis of pre-eclampsia and it may be useful in the assessment of the severity of the disease.