title: Thickening of the amnion basement membrane and its relationship to placental inflammatory lesions and fetal and maternal disorders.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study is the morphological and morphometric analysis of the basement membrane amniotic epithelium of the chorionic plate to establish possible correlation between the basement membrane amniotic epithelium thickening and maternal and fetal disorders.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ninety-one placentas of infants delivered in Medical Hospital School were studied with hematoxylin-eosin (H&E) and Periodic Acid Schiff (PAS) methods, morphometric and ultrastructural analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 91 placentas analyzed, 17 (18.6%) were normal with regard to placental morphology, fetal and maternal history. Basement membrane amniotic epithelium thickening was significantly greater in the cases associated with chorioamnionitis (P=0.013), villitis (P=0.040), maternal hypertension syndromes during pregnancy (P=0.027) and stillborn (P=0.040) babies. The electron microscopic examination of the basement membrane amniotic epithelium identified a structural alteration and edema of the dense lamina.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Thickening of the basement membrane amniotic epithelium was associated with morphologic placental abnormalities and/or fetal or maternal disorders. Thickening of the basement membrane amniotic epithelium was identified away from the site of placental inflammation, possibly being a consequence of cytokines, supporting more than a local effect. This could be a new insight into the pathogenesis of fetal and maternal complications associated with inflammatory placental lesions.
authors.affiliation: General Pathology Division, Faculdade de Medicina do Triângulo Mineiro, Rua Frei Paulino, n30, 38025-180 Uberaba, Minas Gerais, Brazil. eumenia.pat@dcb.fmtm.br
authors.forename: Eumenia C C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Castro
authors.forename: Marlene A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Reis
authors.forename: Vicente P A
authors.initials: VP
authors.lastname: Teixeira
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000650:Amnion / Q000473:pathology*; D001485:Basement Membrane / Q000473:pathology*; D002821:Chorioamnionitis / Q000473:pathology; D004848:Epithelium / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005315:Fetal Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000473:pathology; D007249:Inflammation / Q000473:pathology*; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D010922:Placenta Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000473:pathology*