Investigation of serum Agouti-related peptide levels in pregnant women with hyperemesis gravidarum

Objective: Agouti-related peptide (AgRP) is an orexigenic neuropeptide secreted by the hypothalamus that plays a key role in stimulating appetite and increasing food intake. This study aimed to evaluate circulating AgRP levels in pregnant women diagnosed with hyperemesis gravidarum (HG). Methods: This cross-sectional case-control study compared serum AgRP levels between two groups of pregnant women. The first group included 44 women aged 18-40 years who were hospitalized during the first trimester due to HG, while the control group consisted of 44 healthy pregnant women without HG, matched for age, body mass index (BMI), and gestational age. Results: Both groups were similar in terms of age, BMI, gravida, parity, and gestational week at which blood samples were taken (p > 0.05 for all). Median serum AgRP level was 211.67 ng/L in the HG group and 182.14 ng/L in the control group (p=0.073). There was a significant positive correlation between AgRP level and maternal BMI as well as urinary ketone positivity (r=0.326, r=0.334, r=0.536, r=0.335; p