Purpose: To investigate the copeptin levels in women with intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP) compared to women with uncomplicated pregnancies.
Materials and methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in 40 pregnant women with ICP and 38 randomly selected healthy pregnant women, who formed the control group. Serum copeptin concentrations were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
Results: Maternal age, body mass index at assessment, and gestational age at blood sampling were similar between the two groups. Duration of pregnancy was shorter and mean birth weight was significantly lower in the ICP group compared to the control group. Total bile acid, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, and gamma glutamyl transferase levels were significantly higher in the ICP group than in the control group. There was no significant difference in copeptin concentrations (2.54 (2.05) versus 2.43 (1.98) ng/ml; p = .5).
Conclusions: Serum copeptin concentrations did not vary between the pregnancies complicated by ICP and the healthy pregnancy control group.
Keywords: Copeptin; arginine vasopressin; bile acid; bile physiology; intrahepatic cholestasis.