title: Serum C3 and uterine artery Doppler indices at 14-20 weeks gestation for preeclampsia screening in low-risk primigravidas: A prospective observational study.
abstract: Preeclampsia affects 2-10% of human pregnancies with poor screening tests. In order to intervene preventively, high risk population should be identified before the 20th week of pregnancy and by a method not subjected to operator efficiency.
  
  
  
  Prospective observational study recruiting 825 low risk primigravidas. Serum C3 and uterine artery Doppler indices were measured at 14-20 weeks.
  
  
  
  Serum C3 levels at 14-20 weeks of gestation had a sensitivity 83.3%, specificity 100%, PPV 100% and NPV 98.3% when the cut-off value was 53.1mg/. For the mean RI, the best cut off value found was 0.72 with 100% sensitivity, 99.1% specificity, 92.3% PPV and 100% NPV. For the mean PI the best cut off value was 1.35 with 100% sensitivity, 94.1% specificity, 63.2% PPV and 100% NPV. The combination of serum C3 level and mean uterine artery PI showed 100% sensitivity, 97.4% specificity, 80% PPV and 100% NPV in prediction of PE.
  
  
  
  Serum C3 levels at 14-20 weeks can be used for prediction of PE with comparable results to uterine artery Doppler indices but has the superiority of being operator independent.
authors.affiliation: Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt. Electronic address: mostafafouadg@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Mostafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fouad Gomaa
authors.affiliation: Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Abdelatif Galal
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Elkholy
authors.affiliation: Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Laila Aly
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Farid
authors.affiliation: Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Osama Saleh
authors.initials: OS
authors.lastname: Elkady
authors.affiliation: Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ain Shams University Maternity Hospital, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Mai Salah
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Eldin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D003176:Complement C3 / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D020073:Gravidity; D006801:Humans; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011247:Pregnancy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012306:Risk; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler; D055988:Uterine Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D001798:Blood Proteins; D003176:Complement C3
keywords: Preeclmpsia; TNF; Uterine artery Doppler