Ultra-high sensitive C-reactive protein during normal pregnancy and in preeclampsia: a pilot study.

Raio, Luigi; Bersinger, Nick A.; Malek, Antoine; Schneider, Henning; Messerli, Franz H; Hürter, Hanna; Rimoldi, Stefano F.; Baumann, Marc U. (2019). Ultra-high sensitive C-reactive protein during normal pregnancy and in preeclampsia: a pilot study. Journal of hypertension, 37(5), pp. 1012-1017. Wolters Kluwer Health 10.1097/HJH.0000000000002003

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INTRODUCTION

Angiogenic and inflammatory factors have been shown to play an important role in the pathogenesis of preeclampsia. However, there is little information on their interaction. The aims of this study were to investigate the longitudinal pattern of inflammatory markers, such as interleukin-6 (IL-6) and C-reactive protein (CRP) using a novel ultra-high sensitive assay method (uhsCRP), and to explore their relationship with angiogenic factors such as placental growth factor (PLGF), soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 (sFlt-1), and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in normal pregnancies and pregnancies complicated by preeclampsia.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Serum levels of uhsCRP, IL-6, PLGF, VEGF and s-Flt-1 were longitudinally determined in 16 women with normal, singleton healthy pregnancies at 7-13, 17-22, 27-31 and 37-41 weeks of gestation by ELISA. uhsCRP was measured using a ultra-high sensitivity ELISA test. Serum of women with preeclampsia (n = 15) was available only once, usually in the third trimester of pregnancy. Women with premature rupture of membranes (PROM) or infection such as chorioamnionitis were excluded. Spearman rank correlation, logistic regression, ROC analysis, ANOVA and Mann-Whitney U-test were used for statistical purposes.

RESULTS

In normal pregnancies, serum uhsCRP showed a gestational age-dependent increase (r = 0.40; P < 0.001). In women suffering from preeclampsia, uhsCRP levels were higher than in gestational age-matched controls (18010 ± 4763 versus 3026 ± 587 ng/ml; P < 0.001). Similarly, serum IL-6 levels increased throughout pregnancy and correlated with uhsCRP in normal pregnancies and in preeclampsia (n = 64, r = 0.37; P < 0.01 and n = 15, r = 1.00, P < 0.0001). uhsCRP levels were positively correlated with sFlt-1 levels (n = 64, r = 0.34; P < 0.01).

CONCLUSION

The increases in uhsCRP (and IL-6) serum levels with advancing gestation indicate a shift towards an inflammatory state during normal pregnancy. The excessive rise in uhsCRP and sFlt-1 in preeclampsia indicate that both may be involved in its pathogenesis. uhsCRP may be useful as an early marker for preeclampsia and studies defining the pattern of its rise throughout pregnancies at risk are urgently needed.

Item Type:

Journal Article (Original Article)

Division/Institute:

04 Faculty of Medicine > Department of Cardiovascular Disorders (DHGE) > Clinic of Cardiology
04 Faculty of Medicine > Department of Gynaecology, Paediatrics and Endocrinology (DFKE) > Clinic of Gynaecology

UniBE Contributor:

Raio, Luigi, Bersinger, Nick A., Rimoldi, Stefano, Baumann, Marc

Subjects:

600 Technology > 610 Medicine & health

ISSN:

0263-6352

Publisher:

Wolters Kluwer Health

Language:

English

Submitter:

Monika Zehr

Date Deposited:

27 Dec 2019 10:33

Last Modified:

05 Dec 2022 15:33

Publisher DOI:

10.1097/HJH.0000000000002003

PubMed ID:

30882594

BORIS DOI:

10.7892/boris.136553

URI:

https://boris.unibe.ch/id/eprint/136553

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