Placental isoferritin levels in pregnant patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and/or antiphospholipid syndrome.

Abstract

PROBLEM:

Low serum placental isoferritin (PLF), an immunosuppressive cytokine-like protein, was found in women with underlying placento-vascular dysfunction, such as intrauterine growth retardation and preeclamptic toxemia. The possible contribution of this placental product in the assessment of pregnant patients with either systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and/or antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) was investigated.

METHOD OF STUDY:

Seventy-five healthy pregnant women used as controls and 25 preselected pregnant patients with either SLE and/or APS were enrolled in the study. Study patients were in remission during conception and all patients agreed to give 5 ml of venous blood at midgestation. The samples were frozen and analyzed retrospectively. After delivery, pregnancy outcomes were gathered from hospital records.

RESULTS:

Seventeen (68%) women had uneventful pregnancies and deliveries (normal) whereas 8 (32%) showed pathologic obstetric outcomes. Mean midgestational serum PLF levels were similar in the control and normal outcome groups (87 U/ml), whereas significantly lower levels (37 U/ml) were measured in the pathologic outcome group. Using a cutoff level of 10 U/ml, 85% from the normal outcome group and 15% from the pathologic outcome group were above this threshold level, with 60% specificity and 100% sensitivity.

CONCLUSIONS:

These preliminary data suggest that PLF values may reflect placento-vascular functions. These may represent a predictive biomarker for developing obstetric complications in pregnant women with either SLE and/or APS.

• Authors: R Maymon, J Bar, D Sherman, C Moroz
• Journal: American journal of reproductive immunology (New York, N.Y. : 1989) (Am J Reprod Immunol) Vol. 40 Issue 2 Pg. 95-101 (Aug 1998) ISSN: 1046-7408 [Print] Denmark
• PMID: 9764351 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Immunosuppressive Agents
• Ferritins

Topics

• Adult
• Antiphospholipid Syndrome (complications, immunology)
• Female
• Ferritins (analysis)
• Humans
• Immunosuppressive Agents (analysis)
• Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic (complications, immunology)
• Placenta (chemistry)
• Pregnancy
• Pregnancy Complications (immunology)
• Pregnancy Outcome
• Retrospective Studies