A longitudinal study of biochemical variables in women at risk of preeclampsia.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to characterize gestational profiles of biochemical markers that are associated with preeclampsia in the blood of pregnant women in whom preeclampsia developed later and to compare these markers with the markers of women who were delivered of small-for-gestational-age infants without preeclampsia and with women who were at low risk for the development of preeclampsia.


METHODS
This was a prospective case control study. The subjects were women at risk of preeclampsia who were enrolled in the placebo arm of a clinical trial. Indices of antioxidant status, oxidative stress, placental and endothelial function, and serum lipid concentrations were evaluated from 20 weeks of gestation until delivery in 21 women in whom preeclampsia developed later, in 17 women without preeclampsia who were delivered of small-for-gestational-age infants, and in 27 women who were at low risk for the development of preeclampsia.


RESULTS
Ascorbic acid was reduced early in preeclampsia and small-for-gestational-age pregnancies. Leptin, placenta growth factor, the plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI-1)/PAI-2 ratio, and uric acid were predictive of the development of preeclampsia.


CONCLUSIONS
Gestational profiles of several markers were abnormal in the group with preeclampsia, and some of the markers that may prove useful in the selective prediction of preeclampsia were identified.
Maternal and Fetal Research Unit, Department Cardiovascular Research, Guy's King's and St Thomas' School of Medicine, King's College, London, UK.
Lucy C
LC
Chappell
Paul T
PT
Seed
Annette
A
Briley
Frank J
FJ
Kelly
Beverley J
BJ
Hunt
D Stephen
DS
Charnock-Jones
Anthony I
AI
Mallet
Lucilla
L
Poston
D000465:Algorithms; D001794:Blood Pressure; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015237:Dinoprost / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D004727:Endothelium / Q000503:physiopathology; D028441:F2-Isoprostanes / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007236:Infant, Small for Gestational Age; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D017395:Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1 / Q000097:blood; D017396:Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 2 / Q000097:blood; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D011247:Pregnancy; D012372:ROC Curve; D012307:Risk Factors; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
D028441:F2-Isoprostanes; D008055:Lipids; D017395:Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1; D017396:Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 2; C075750:8-epi-prostaglandin F2alpha; D015237:Dinoprost