Aims: Manifestation of preeclampsia is characterized by an inflammatory response and altered expression of acute-phase proteins. In this study, we examined the predictive value of serum amyloid A, progranulin, transthyretin, C-reactive protein and interleukin-6. Soluble endoglin was used as control.
Methods: Maternal serum levels of the putative biomarkers were measured in 49 women with a midtrimester bilateral abnormal uterine artery Doppler velocimetry.
Results: Preeclampsia developed in 26.5 %. 75.0 % had an early-onset disease (<34 + 0 weeks). Delivery <34 + 0 weeks was indicated in 16.3 %. 12.2 % of patients developed a normotensive intrauterine growth restriction. All of the putative biomarkers were not predictive for preeclampsia. But serum levels of progranulin and also of soluble endoglin were increased in cases with development of a severe normotensive intrauterine growth restriction. Only soluble endoglin was predictive for the development of preeclampsia with an area under curve in the receiver operating curve analysis of 0.761 (P = 0.006). Using a cut-off level of ≥9.14 ng/mL, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value were 53.9, 88.9, 63.6 and 84.2 %, respectively.
Conclusions: Inflammation is a late event during development of preeclampsia, and acute-phase proteins are not predictive for the disease in a high-risk population without clinical symptoms during the second trimester. Progranulin is a putative new biomarker for an early detection of intrauterine growth restriction in women without concomitant hypertensive disorders. Soluble endoglin improved predictive values for preeclampsia in patients with abnormal uterine Doppler.
Keywords: Acute-phase proteins; Intrauterine growth restriction; Prediction; Preeclampsia; Preterm delivery.