Abstract
Objective We aimed to investigate the relationship between the hyperemesis
gravidarum (HG) and maternal serum phoenixin-14 (PNX-14) concentrations.
Materials and methods This cross-sectional study was conducted with 88
pregnant women who applied to the Umraniye Training and Research Hospital
Gynecology and Obstetrics Clinic between February 2022 and October 2022. The HG
group consisted of 44 pregnant women diagnosed with HG between the 7th and 14th
gestational weeks, and the control group consisted of 44 healthy pregnant women
matched with the HG group in terms of age, BMI, and gestational week.
Demographic characteristics, ultrasound findings, and laboratory outcomes were
noted. The two groups were compared in terms of maternal serum PNX-14
concentrations.
Results Gestational age at blood sampling for PNX-14 was similar in both
groups (p=1.000). While maternal serum PNX-14 concentration was
85.5 pg/ml in the HG group, it was 71.3 pg/ml in
the control group (p=0.012). ROC analysis was performed to determine the
value of maternal serum PNX-14 concentration in terms of predicting HG. AUC
analysis of maternal serum PNX-14 for HG estimation was 0.656 (p=0.012,
95% CI=0.54–0.77). The optimal cutoff value for maternal
serum PNX-14 concentration was determined as 79.81 pg/ml with
59% sensitivity and 59% specificity.
Conclusion In this study, maternal serum PNX-14 concentration was found to
be higher in pregnant women with HG, which indicates that high serum PNX-14
concentrations may have an anorexigenic effect on food intake in pregnancy.
Concentrations of other PNX isoforms in HG and changes in PNX concentrations in
pregnant women with HG who regained weight after treatment remain to be
investigated.
Key words
Hyperemesis gravidarum - nausea - phoenixin - pregnancy - vomiting
