Comparative study of lactoferrin and other blood markers of inflammatory stress between preeclamptic and normal pregnancies.
OBJECTIVE
To test lactoferrin as a blood discriminator of neutrophil activation between normal and preeclamptic pregnancy.


METHODS
Comparative study between normal (n = 40) and preeclamptic women receiving treatment (n = 42) in the third trimester of pregnancy and in the post partum period (30 women with normal pregnancy and 22 with preeclampsia).


METHODS
Blood, serum or plasma measurements of neutrophils, lactoferrin, vitamin C, vitamin E, lipid peroxidation products, elastase, C-reactive protein (CRP), gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase (gamma GT), haptoglobin, osmotic fragility, urea, creatinine, uric acid, transaminases (ASAT, ALAT), lactic dehydrogenase (LDH), platelets, red and white blood cells.


RESULTS
In preeclamptic women the ratios of lactoferrin per neutrophil or per erythrocyte are higher before delivery than in normal women but decrease after delivery. Delivery induces a greater inflammatory response in normal pregnancy as detected by blood concentrations of inflammatory markers and hepatic and renal parameters.


CONCLUSIONS
Whereas in normal pregnant women neutrophil activation increases with delivery, in preeclamptic women the opposite occurs.
Rebelo
I
I
Departamento de Bioquimica, Faculdade de Farmacia, Universidade do Porto, Portugal.
Carvalho-Guerra
F
F
Pereira-Leite
L
L
Quintanilha
A
A
D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000502:physiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D007781:Lactoferrin / Q000097:blood*; D019272:Leukocyte Elastase / Q000097:blood; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation; D008099:Liver / Q000502:physiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000502:physiology*; D010196:Pancreatic Elastase / Q000097:blood; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase / Q000097:blood
D015415:Biomarkers; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase; D007781:Lactoferrin; D010196:Pancreatic Elastase; D019272:Leukocyte Elastase