title: Urinary podocyte excretion as a marker for preeclampsia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study was to examine whether podocyturia, which is the urinary excretion of viable podocytes (glomerular epithelial cells), is present in urinary sediments of patients with preeclampsia. We also aimed to compare the test characteristics of podocyturia to those angiogenic factors that have been shown to play an important role in the pathogenesis of preeclampsia (s-Flt-1, PlGF, and endoglin).
  
  
  METHODS
  Serum angiogenic factors were measured in 44 patients with preeclampsia and 23 normotensive control patients. In a patient subset (15 cases and 16 control patients), urinary proteinuria were identified and quantified on the basis of their expressions of podocyte-specific proteins.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Urinary podocyte excretion occurred in all patients with preeclampsia. The positive predictive value for the diagnosis of preeclampsia was greater for podocyturia than for any of the measured angiogenic factors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Podocyturia is a highly sensitive and specific marker for preeclampsia. It may contribute to the development of proteinuria in preeclampsia.
authors.affiliation: Division of Nephrology and Hypertension, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA. garovic.vesna@mayo.edu
authors.forename: Vesna D
authors.initials: VD
authors.lastname: Garovic
authors.forename: Steven J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Wagner
authors.forename: Stephen T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Turner
authors.forename: David W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Rosenthal
authors.forename: William J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Watson
authors.forename: Brian C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Brost
authors.forename: Carl H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Rose
authors.forename: Larisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gavrilova
authors.forename: Paula
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Craigo
authors.forename: Kent R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Bailey
authors.forename: Johannes
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Achenbach
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schiffer
authors.forename: Joseph P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Grande
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000652:urine; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D050199:Podocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000652:urine*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D012372:ROC Curve; D012016:Reference Values; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers