title: Increased neopterin level and chitotriosidase activity in pregnant women with threatened preterm labor.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether the cellular inflammatory markers of activated macrophages, neopterin (NEO), chitotriosidase activity and the acute-phase inflammatory marker C-reactive protein (CRP) are elevated in pregnancy with threatened preterm labor (TPL).
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-two pregnant women with TPL and 32 women with uncomplicated pregnancy (UP) were included this study. The primary aim was to compare the NEO, chitotriosidase activity and CRP levels between women with TPL and women with UP.
  
  
  RESULTS
  NEO levels were all significantly elevated in patients with TPL compared to UP (median 25-75%; 9.61 [8.47-12.29] versus 4.46 [3.59-6.92], respectively; p < 0.001). Chitotriosidase activity was significantly elevated in pregnant women with TPL compared to UP (median 25-75%; 59.00 [38.00-87.25] versus 43.50 [23.25-65.25], respectively; p = 0.036). However, CRP levels were not different in women with TPL compared to UP (p = 0.573). Furthermore, a significant moderate negative correlation was found between delivery week and NEO level (r = -0.557, p = 0.001). However, a significant correlation was not seen between delivery week and chitotriosidase activity (r = -0.042, p = 0.741).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Inflammatory markers such as NEO and chitotriosidase activity, which are markers of macrophages, are more elevated in pregnant women with TPL than in women with UP. These data suggest that there are striking increases in inflammation and cellular immune activation in TPL.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and.
authors.forename: Uğur
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Keskin
authors.forename: Mustafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ulubay
authors.forename: Yasemin Gülcan
authors.initials: YG
authors.lastname: Kurt
authors.forename: Ulaş
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Fidan
authors.forename: Yahya Kemal
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Koçyiğit
authors.forename: Tevfik
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Honca
authors.forename: Fevzi Nuri
authors.initials: FN
authors.lastname: Aydin
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ergün
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006596:Hexosaminidases / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D019798:Neopterin / Q000097:blood*; D007752:Obstetric Labor, Premature / Q000097:blood*; D011247:Pregnancy; D012372:ROC Curve
chemical_list: D019798:Neopterin; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D006596:Hexosaminidases; C086400:chitotriosidase
keywords: Chitotriosidase activity; inflammation; neopterin; threatened preterm labor