title: Inflammatory and procoagulant cytokine levels during pregnancy as predictors of adverse obstetrical complications.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Disturbances in cytokine networks are believed to be associated with increased risk of adverse pregnancy complications.
  
  
  METHODS
  Plasma samples collected from pregnant women with preterm deliveries, high-risk pregnancy complications including postpartum hemorrhage, hypertensive disorders, and multiple gestations, and normal pregnancies were analyzed at different periods throughout gestation and postpartum. Interleukin (IL) 1β , IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, tumor necrosis factor α, and antiprotein Z antibody levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The IL-6 levels in preterm delivery patients were elevated during pregnancy with statistically significant differences observed at 21 to 32 weeks (P < .01) and 33+ weeks (P < .001). The IL-10 levels were increased in normal pregnancy at all time points compared to the other patient groups (P < .05). The TNF-α levels were elevated in the high-risk pregnancy group versus normal controls (P < .001 at <21 weeks and P < .05 at 21-32 weeks).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Analysis of the maternal plasma for elevated IL-6 and reduced IL-10 levels may be of value in the early prediction of pregnancy complications.
authors.affiliation: 1Stritch School of Medicine, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL, USA.
authors.forename: Shannon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dibble
authors.forename: Anita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Andersen
authors.forename: Michael Rud
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Lassen
authors.forename: Josephine
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cunanan
authors.forename: Debra
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hoppensteadt
authors.forename: Jawed
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fareed
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000097:blood; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000097:blood*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D015850:Interleukin-6
keywords: adverse pregnancy; hemostasis; inflammation; procoagulant