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Associations between pre‐eclampsia and protein C and protein S levels among pregnant Nigerian women
Author(s) -
Okoye Helen C.,
Eweputanna Lisa I.,
Okpani Anthony O.U.,
Ejele Oseikhuemen A.
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
international journal of gynecology and obstetrics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.895
H-Index - 97
eISSN - 1879-3479
pISSN - 0020-7292
DOI - 10.1002/ijgo.12085
Subject(s) - eclampsia , medicine , proteinuria , antigen , incidence (geometry) , obstetrics , pregnancy , endocrinology , immunology , biology , kidney , genetics , physics , optics
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.