Altered circulating levels of adhesion molecules at 18 weeks' gestation among women with eventual preeclampsia: indicators of disturbed placentation in absence of evidence of endothelial dysfunction?
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to investigate whether indications of activation of the maternal endothelium were present at 18 weeks' gestation in women in whom preeclampsia eventually developed.


METHODS
A total of 2190 blood samples were obtained at 18 weeks' gestation. Circulating levels of von Willebrand factor and soluble vascular adhesion molecule 1, soluble intercellular adhesion molecule 1, and E-selectin were assayed in 71 women with eventual preeclampsia and 71 control subjects.


RESULTS
E-selectin and von Willebrand factor levels were similar between the 2 groups. Soluble vascular adhesion molecule 1 concentration was significantly lower in the women with eventual preeclampsia (median, 649.0 ng/mL vs 762.4 ng/mL; P <.001), whereas soluble intercellular adhesion molecule 1 concentration was significantly higher (median, 239.8 ng/mL vs 178.3 ng/mL; P <.001).


CONCLUSIONS
We found no indications of endothelial activation at 18 weeks' gestation in women in whom preeclampsia later developed. However, decreased serum concentration of soluble vascular adhesion molecule 1 and increased serum concentration of soluble intercellular adhesion molecule 1 may reflect the disturbed placentation known to be associated with the development of preeclampsia.
Clausen
T
T
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Aker University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
Djurovic
S
S
Brosstad
F R
FR
Berg
K
K
Henriksen
T
T
D001724:Birth Weight; D001794:Blood Pressure; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000097:blood*; D019040:E-Selectin / Q000097:blood; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000097:blood; D010929:Placentation / Q000502:physiology; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D011507:Proteinuria; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000097:blood; D014841:von Willebrand Factor / Q000032:analysis
D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D019040:E-Selectin; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1; D014841:von Willebrand Factor; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1