Maternal plasma transforming growth factor-beta1 concentrations in preeclamptic and normotensive pregnant Zimbabwean women.
OBJECTIVE
We examined the relationship between maternal plasma transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) concentrations and risk of preeclampsia among women delivering at Harare Maternity Hospital in Zimbabwe. We evaluated the relationship in the context of maternal systemic inflammation using plasma tumor necrosis factor-a soluble receptor p55 (sTNFp55) as a marker.


METHODS
132 women with preeclampsia and 180 controls were included in this case-control study analysis. Maternal post-diagnosis plasma TGF-beta1 and sTNFp55 concentrations were determined using immunoassays. Logistic regression procedures were used to estimate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) adjusted for confounders.


RESULTS
A linear increase in preeclampsia risk was observed with increasing quartiles of TGF-beta1 concentrations (p<0.01). Women whose TGF-beta1 concentrations were >or=25.1 ng/ml (quartile 4) had a 2.5-fold (95% CI 1.2-5.6) increased risk of preeclampsia as compared with those women whose concentrations were <11.2 ng/ml (quartile 1). Relative to women with no evidence of systemic inflammation and no elevated TGF-beta1 concentrations, those women who were jointly positive for elevated TGF-beta1 and sTNFp55 concentrations experienced a 5.3-fold (95% CI 2.3-12.0) increased risk of preeclampsia.


CONCLUSIONS
Overall, we noted that elevated TGF-beta1 is associated with an increased risk of preeclampsia. We also noted that the preeclampsia risk is exaggerated in the presence of maternal systemic inflammation.
Enquobahrie
Daniel A
DA
Center for Perinatal Studies, Swedish Medical Center, Seattle, and Department of Epidemiology, Cardiovascular Health Research Unit, University of Washington School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Seattle 98122, USA. danenq@u.washington.edu
Williams
Michelle A
MA
Qiu
Chunfang
C
Woelk
Godfrey B
GB
Mahomed
Kassam
K
D000328:Adult; D001685:Biological Factors / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000097:blood*; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000097:blood*; D011296:Prenatal Diagnosis; D047888:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type I / Q000097:blood*; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000097:blood*; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; D015030:Zimbabwe
D001685:Biological Factors; D047888:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type I; C508960:TGFB1 protein, human; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1