P 45 Does apolipoprotein B (apo B) level in early pregnancy predict excessive gestational weight gain and adverse pregnancy outcome?

Abstract

Introduction Excessive maternal gestational weight gain (GWG) is a risk factor for several maternal and fetal complications. Lipid metabolism like apo B is linked to obesity and maintenance of pregnancy via placental cholesterol uptake and steroid hormone production. Additionally, evidence is increasing that apo B containing lipoproteins directly influence angiogenesis via modulation of the VEGF-receptor 1. Maternal ApoB levels are associated with adverse outcome of pregnancy e. g. in preeclampsia and IUGR at onset of the disease. Objectives The hypothesis of the study was that apo B level early in pregnancy are associated with excessive GWG and predictive for adverse outcomes. Material and methods A retrospective study, including 547 pregnant women, was conducted. According to IOM recommendations on GWG, there were 95 women with inadequate GWG, 171 with adequate GWG and 281 with excessive GWG. Apo B levels from early pregnancy serum samples were measured by ELISA. The Kruskal–Wallis-test was used in order to compare the apo B levels between the three GWG groups. Apo B levels were also assessed for the prediction of adverse pregnancy outcomes like SGA/ IUGR and hypertension. Results There was no significant difference in apo B levels between the different GWG groups. Compared to the women with adequate GWG neither women with inadequate GWG had differing apo B levels (p = 0,6135) nor had women with excessive GWG (p = 0,0515). We found significant higher levels of apoB in overweight and obese patients as compared to normal BMI (p Conclusions Apo B cannot be used as a marker for identifying the risk of excessive GWG or adverse pregnancy outcomes early in pregnancy and therefore remains differential only in later stages of gestation.