title: High numbers of circulating pigmented polymorphonuclear neutrophils as a prognostic marker for decreased birth weight during malaria in pregnancy.
abstract: During gestational malaria, Plasmodium falciparum-infected erythrocytes can sequester within the placenta, contributing to poor pregnancy outcomes, especially low birth weight. In children and non-pregnant adults, pigmented leukocytes may serve as markers of sequestered parasite burden and predict clinical outcomes. Here, we investigated circulating pigmented leukocyte numbers as predictors of clinical outcomes in pregnant women presenting with malaria at enrolment. The number of circulating pigmented neutrophils at enrolment negatively correlated with birth weight (Rho=-25, P=.04), suggesting these cells may have a pathogenic role in, and could serve as prognostic markers for, malaria-associated low birth weight.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, The Doherty Institute, The University of Melbourne, Australia.
authors.forename: Caroline Lin Lin
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Chua
authors.affiliation: Vector Borne Disease Unit, Papua New Guinea Institute of Medical Research, Papua New Guinea; Infection and Immunity Division, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, Australia; Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Australia.
authors.forename: Leanne J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Robinson
authors.affiliation: Vector Borne Disease Unit, Papua New Guinea Institute of Medical Research, Papua New Guinea.
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Baiwog
authors.affiliation: Vector Borne Disease Unit, Papua New Guinea Institute of Medical Research, Papua New Guinea; Infection and Immunity Division, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, Australia; Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Australia.
authors.forename: Danielle I
authors.initials: DI
authors.lastname: Stanisic
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, The Doherty Institute, The University of Melbourne, Australia.
authors.forename: John A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Hamilton
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, The Doherty Institute, The University of Melbourne, Australia; The Nossal Institute for Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Australia.
authors.forename: Graham V
authors.initials: GV
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, The Doherty Institute, The University of Melbourne, Australia; Victorian Infectious Diseases Service, The Doherty Institute, Australia.
authors.forename: Stephen J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Rogerson
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, The Doherty Institute, The University of Melbourne, Australia; Victorian Infectious Diseases Service, The Doherty Institute, Australia. Electronic address: pboeuf@unimelb.edu.au.
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Boeuf
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology*; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000276:immunology*; D010860:Pigments, Biological / Q000032:analysis*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000473:pathology*; D011379:Prognosis
chemical_list: D010860:Pigments, Biological
keywords: Birth weight; Haemozoin; Malaria; Neutrophil; Pigmented leukocytes; Pregnancy