Plasma IL-4, IL-8, IL-12, interferon-γ and CRP levels in pregnant women with preeclampsia, and their relation with severity of disease and fetal birth weight.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the hypothesis that preeclampsia is associated with increased systemic inflammatory responses of Th1-type as well as decreased Th2-type responses compared with normal pregnancy. We also sought to determine whether there was a correlation between these markers with severity of preeclampsia and fetal birth weight.

METHODS:

The study population consisted of maternal age, gestational age, and body mass index matched 138 pregnant women; 56 normotensive healthy pregnant women (group 1), 42 women with mild preeclampsia (group 2), 40 women with severe preeclampsia (group 3).

RESULTS:

Plasma interleukin (IL)-8 and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels were significantly higher in group 3 than group 1 (p<0.05). Plasma IL-4, IL-12, and interferon (IFN)-γ levels were similar in all groups. Although plasma IL-8 and CRP levels of mild preeclamptic group were higher than control group and lower than severe preeclamptic group, the differences were not statistically significant. There was a positive correlation between IL-12 and fetal birth weight in severe preeclamptic group (p<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS:

Elevated maternal serum pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-8 and CRP in severe preeclamptic women compared with normal pregnant women supports the hypothesis that preeclampsia is associated with increased inflammatory responses.

• Authors: Deniz Cemgil Arikan, Murat Aral, Ayhan Coskun, Ali Ozer
• Journal: The journal of maternal-fetal & neonatal medicine : the official journal of the European Association of Perinatal Medicine, the Federation of Asia and Oceania Perinatal Societies, the International Society of Perinatal Obstetricians (J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med) Vol. 25 Issue 9 Pg. 1569-73 (Sep 2012) ISSN: 1476-4954 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 22185464 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• IL4 protein, human
• Interleukin-8
• Interleukin-12
• Interleukin-4
• Interferon-gamma
• C-Reactive Protein

Topics

• Adolescent
• Adult
• Birth Weight (physiology)
• C-Reactive Protein (analysis)
• Case-Control Studies
• Female
• Fetal Weight (physiology)
• Humans
• Infant, Newborn
• Interferon-gamma (blood)
• Interleukin-12 (blood)
• Interleukin-4 (blood)
• Interleukin-8 (blood)
• Middle Aged
• Pre-Eclampsia (blood)
• Pregnancy
• Pregnancy Trimester, Third (blood)
• Severity of Illness Index
• Young Adult