title: Lactoferrin as a sensitive blood marker of neutrophil activation in normal pregnancies.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To test lactoferrin as a marker of neutrophil activation during pregnancy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study in normal pregnant (n = 100), nonpregnant (n = 11) and post partum women (n = 30).
  
  
  METHODS
  Serum or plasma measurements of neutrophils, lactoferrin, vitamin C, vitamin E, lipid peroxide, elastase, C-reactive protein gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase, haptoglobin and osmotic fragility.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During normal pregnancy all markers of neutrophil-activation increase.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Neutrophil-activation compromises the antioxidant defense mechanism during normal pregnancy.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Bioquimica da Faculdade de Farmácia da Universidade do Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Rebelo
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Carvalho-Guerra
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pereira-Leite
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Quintanilha
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000502:physiology; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006403:Hematologic Tests; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000097:blood; D007781:Lactoferrin / Q000097:blood*; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000502:physiology*; D018375:Neutrophil Activation / Q000502:physiology*; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D010196:Pancreatic Elastase / Q000097:blood*; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000097:blood*; D012016:Reference Values; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D007781:Lactoferrin; D010196:Pancreatic Elastase