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Plasma serotonin levels are elevated in pregnant women with hyperemesis gravidarum

  • Maternal-Fetal Medicine
  • Published:
Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

This study aimed to determine the association between serotonin and hyperemesis gravidarum.

Materials and methods

Plasma samples of 87 women in their first trimester pregnancies with HG (n = 28), morning sickness of pregnancy (n = 30) and control (n = 29) groups were obtained. Plasma levels of serotonin were compared between the groups, and the correlations with severity of symptoms using modified PUQE (Pregnancy Unique Quantification of Emesis) scoring, BMI, E2, hCG and TSH were calculated.

Results

When the groups were compared with respect to serotonin levels, the group with hyperemesis gravidarum was found to have significantly higher serotonin levels (p = 0.001). A significant positive correlation was found between the serotonin level and the PUQE score in all study subjects (r = 0.578, p = 0.0001). A serotonin threshold of >277.58 ng/mL had a sensitivity of 75 %, specificity of 86.4 %, positive predictive value of 72.4 %, negative predictive value of 87.9 %, and a likelihood ratio of 5.53 (p = 0.0001).

Conclusions

Our findings support the possible role of serotonin in the pathogenesis of hyperemesis gravidarum.

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Conflict of interest

The authors have no financial associations or any other conflicts of interest to declare.

Ethical standard

The patients provided informed consent, and the study design was approved by the appropriate ethics review boards.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Bakirkoy Dr. Sadi Konuk Teaching and Research Hospital, Tevfik Saglam Street, No: 11, Zuhuratbaba, Istanbul, Bakirkoy, Turkey

    Huseyin Cengiz, Hediye Dagdeviren, Sema Suzen Caypinar, Ammar Kanawati, Sukru Yildiz & Murat Ekin

Authors
  1. Huseyin Cengiz
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  2. Hediye Dagdeviren
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  3. Sema Suzen Caypinar
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  4. Ammar Kanawati
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  5. Sukru Yildiz
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  6. Murat Ekin
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Huseyin Cengiz.

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Cengiz, H., Dagdeviren, H., Caypinar, S.S. et al. Plasma serotonin levels are elevated in pregnant women with hyperemesis gravidarum. Arch Gynecol Obstet 291, 1271–1276 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00404-014-3572-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00404-014-3572-2

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