Association of raised titres of antibodies to Chlamydia pneumoniae with a history of pre-eclampsia.
OBJECTIVE
To establish the prevalence of Chlamydia pneumoniae (C. pneumoniae) infection in a pregnant UK population and to investigate whether C. pneumoniae infection is more common in women with a previous history of pre-eclampsia.


METHODS
Prospective study.


METHODS
Academic Hospital.


METHODS
Ninety-one pregnant women (54 parous and 37 nulliparous) at 16-22 weeks of gestation were studied. Of the parous women, 32 had a previous history of pre-eclampsia.


METHODS
Peripheral blood was drawn for C. pneumoniae antibodies between 16-22 and 28-40 weeks of gestation. C. pneumoniae antibodies were measured using a solid-phase enzyme immunoassay. According to pregnancy outcome, women were categorised into normal, gestational hypertension and pre-eclampsia groups.


METHODS
Serum levels of IgG, IgA and IgM C. pneumoniae antibodies.


RESULTS
Prevalence of seropositivity to C. pneumoniae was 77%. Parous women had significantly higher levels of IgA and IgM C. pneumoniae antibodies than nulliparous women (P < 0.04). Parous women with previous pre-eclampsia were found to have higher levels of antibodies than parous women with a normal obstetric history (P< or = 0.003). There was no difference in the antibody levels in women with different pregnancy outcomes.


CONCLUSIONS
The longitudinal data do not indicate an association between C. pneumoniae infection and pre-eclampsia. However, the subgroup analysis of parous women demonstrated raised C. pneumoniae antibodies in the women with previous pre-eclampsia, and therefore suggests that there may be an association between C. pneumoniae and the disease in this group.
Goulis
Dimitrios G
DG
Division of Medicine, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital, UK.
Chappell
Lucy
L
Gibbs
Richard G J
RG
Williams
David
D
Dave
Jitendra R
JR
Taylor
Paul
P
de Swiet
Michael
M
Poston
Lucilla
L
Williamson
Catherine
C
D000328:Adult; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000378:metabolism*; D023521:Chlamydophila Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D016993:Chlamydophila pneumoniae / Q000276:immunology*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000276:immunology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D011446:Prospective Studies
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial