title: Impact of seroconversion and antichlamydial treatment on the rate of pre-eclampsia among Egyptian primigravidae.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effect of antichlamydial treatment and Chlamydia pneumoniae seroconversion on the incidence of pre-eclampsia among Egyptian primigravidae.
  
  
  METHODS
  The present prospective study included 600 healthy normotensive primigravidae who attended an outpatient clinic at 10-16weeks of pregnancy. A single venous blood sample was collected to test for C. pneumonia-specific immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Seropositive women were randomly allocated to receive or not receive antichlamydial treatment before 20weeks of pregnancy. Seronegative participants had another test at delivery for the presence of C. pneumonia-specific IgG to determine seroconversion. All participants were followed up for up to 8weeks postpartum and observed for the development of pre-eclampsia.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The rate of pre-eclampsia among seropositive participants differed significantly depending on whether the women received treatment or not (6.5% and 19.1%, respectively; P=0.014). No statistically significant difference in the rate of pre-eclampsia was detected between seronegative participants who underwent seroconversion and those who did not.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present results indirectly support the hypothesis that infectious agents (in particular C. pneumoniae) have a role in the development of pre-eclampsia. The findings also indicate that antichlamydial treatment might help to reduce the incidence of pre-eclampsia.
authors.affiliation: Obstetrics and Gynecology Department, Ain Shams University Maternity Hospital, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Mahmoud A A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: El-Shourbagy
authors.forename: Tamer A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: El-Refaie
authors.forename: Khalid K A
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Sayed
authors.forename: Karim A H
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Wahba
authors.forename: Adel S S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: El-Din
authors.forename: Maha M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Fathy
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D023521:Chlamydophila Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D016993:Chlamydophila pneumoniae / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004534:Egypt / Q000453:epidemiology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011295:Prenatal Care / Q000379:methods; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012698:Serologic Tests / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D007074:Immunoglobulin G