title: Urinary nephrin: A new predictive marker for pregnancies with preeclampsia and small-for-gestational age infants.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study was to determine the differences in urinary nephrin among controls, gravidas with preeclampsia (PE), and small-for-gestational age (SGA) infants. We also determined whether or not maternal urinary concentrations of nephrin are associated with the subsequent development of PE and SGA infants.
  
  
  METHODS
  We analyzed maternal urinary levels of nephrin in women who were normal controls (n=50), women who were delivered SGA infants (n=40), and gravidas with PE (n=33) in the first, second and third trimesters. Urinary nephrin concentrations were measured with nephrin enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The levels of urinary nephrin were higher in gravida developing preeclampsia or SGA than in controls after adjusting serum creatinine (P<0.05 for both). Maternal urine concentrations of nephrin were higher in pregnancies complicated by SGA and PE in the third trimester (P<0.05), and also higher in pregnancies complicated by SGA in the first trimester (P<0.05). The sensitivity and specificity of nephrin in predicting SGA from normal pregnancies were 67% and 89% in the first trimester, 60% and 79% in the second trimester, and 80% and 84% in the third trimester, respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of nephrin in predicting PE from normal pregnancies were 67% and 83% in the first trimester and 73% and 79% in the third trimester, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We suggest that urinary nephrin can be used as an early marker in pregnancies at risk for developing PE and SGA infants.
authors: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ewha Womans University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors: Ga Young
authors: GY
authors: Yang
authors: Kyung A
authors: KA
authors: Lee
authors: Mi Hye
authors: MH
authors: Park
authors: Hye Sook
authors: HS
authors: Park
authors: Eun Hee
authors: EH
authors: Ha
authors: Sun Hee
authors: SH
authors: Chun
authors: Young Ju
authors: YJ
authors: Kim
keywords: Early marker; Nephrin; Preeclampsia; Small-for-gestational age; Urine