Elevated C‐reactive protein and pro‐inflammatory cytokines in Andean women with pre‐eclampsia

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the concentration of markers of inflammation in non‐pregnant women, women with normal pregnancy and women with pre‐eclampsia. Methods: Pregnant women (n=26), women with pre‐eclampsia (n=25) and non‐pregnant normotensive women (n=21) were included in the study. C‐reactive protein was measured by latex‐enhanced immunoturbidimetric assay, serum tumor necrosis factor‐alpha (TNF‐α) and interleukin‐6 (IL‐6) by high sensitivity ELISA. Kruskal–Wallis non‐parametric analysis of variance followed by the Mann–Whitney U‐test were used for statistical analyses. Results: Higher values (mean±S.E.M.) of C‐reactive protein were found in pre‐eclampsia (4.11±0.37 mg/dl) compared with normal pregnant women (2.49±0.26 mg/dl) and non‐pregnant controls (1.33±0.15 mg/dl). TNF‐α was significantly higher in women with pre‐eclampsia (15.74±5.09 pg/ml), in relation to the control group (2.76±0.41 pg/ml) and women with normal pregnancy (8.31±1.55 pg/ml). IL‐6 levels were significantly higher in pre‐eclamptic women (12.91±1.29 pg/ml) compared with normal pregnant (5.07±0.423 pg/ml) and control women (1.25±0.13 pg/ml). Conclusions: The results of this cross‐sectional study in a high‐risk Andean population show that both C‐reactive protein and pro‐inflammatory cytokines are present in higher concentrations in women with pre‐eclampsia. The study was undertaken in women with established pre‐eclampsia and it is not possible to determine whether the increased concentrations of C‐reactive protein and pro‐inflammatory cytokines were a cause or consequence of the disease.