Associations between pre‐eclampsia and protein C and protein S levels among pregnant Nigerian women

Objective To evaluate levels of protein C and free protein S among women with pre‐eclampsia, and determine whether there is a relationship between deficiencies and pre‐eclampsia. Methods A cross‐sectional study was conducted at a hospital in Nigeria from July 2013 to March 2014 among 90 pregnant women with pre‐eclampsia (blood pressure ≥140/90 mm Hg, proteinuria ≥300 mg in 24 hours) and 90 normotensive pregnant women (control group). Plasma levels of protein C and free protein S were analyzed by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay, and protein C activity by a chromogenic method. Results Mean protein C antigen and activity levels did not differ between groups ( P= 0.639 and P= 0.444, respectively). The incidence of protein C antigen and activity deficiency also did not differ ( P= 0.288 and P> 0.99, respectively). The mean free protein S antigen level was higher among women with pre‐eclampsia (54.48%±19.58%) than in the control group (47.23%±10.27%; P= 0.004). No woman in the control group had protein S deficiency, as compared with 2 (2%) of the women with pre‐eclampsia ( P= 0.497). No association was found between deficiencies of these proteins and pre‐eclampsia. Conclusion Deficiencies of protein C and free protein S are unlikely to be etiopathogenetic for pre‐eclampsia; therefore, therapeutic intervention should focus on other potential pathogenetic pathways.