¡¾Abstract¡¿ AIM: To investigate the relations between preeclamptic pathogenesis and changes of serum leptin and soluble leptin receptor in preeclampsia, and their clinical significance. METHODS: The peripheral venous blood samples of 40 preeclampsia and 43 normal pregnant women were obtained before and 7 d after operation. The level of leptin was valued by immunoradioassay, and the level of soluble leptin receptor was measured by enzymeª²linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA). The correlative analysis between the levels of serum leptin and soluble leptin receptor and the blood pressure was performed. RESULTS: The level of leptin before operation was higher than that after operation in all the pregnant women; The level of leptin before operation in preeclampsia was higher than that in normal pregnancy, and the level of soluble leptin receptor before operation in preeclampsia was lower than that in normal pregnancy ; The leptin before operation in preeclampsia was negatively correlated with the soluble leptin receptor, and there were positive correlations between the leptin before operation in preeclampsia and the diastolic pressure or systolic pressure; There were negative correlations between the soluble leptin receptor before operation in preeclampsia and the diastolic pressure or systolic pressure. CONCLUSION: The high level of leptin in preeclampsia may come from placenta, and it may be related to the preeclamptic pathophysiology. The level of leptin or soluble leptin receptor can be a clinical marker to reflect the degree of preeclampsia. ......