What type of study is this?

This is a Prospective Study study.

September 10, 2025Open Access

Associations of CRP and PCT levels with obstetric and neonatal outcomes: a prospective study

MAMerve AtesGazi University PÇPınar ÇalışUniversity of Washington AAAyse Gokcen ArtıktayGazi University

Key Points

Elevated CRP and PCT levels are linked to increased obstetric and neonatal complications, highlighting their clinical significance.
Patients with CRP levels above 6.72 mg/L experienced significantly higher rates of complications (67.6% vs. 32.4%) compared to those with lower levels.
The prospective analysis involved 411 pregnant women, with venous blood samples taken across all trimesters to assess CRP and PCT levels.
Findings suggest that CRP and PCT, being affordable and accessible, could serve as effective screening tools for detecting complications during pregnancy.

Abstract

C-reactive protein (CRP) and procalcitonin (PCT) levels may be elevated under inflammatory conditions. The aim of this study was to determine the cutoff values for CRP and PCT levels during pregnancy and to evaluate the associations of any elevation with obstetric and neonatal outcomes. This prospective study was conducted from June 2023 to December 2024. The study included 411 singleton pregnant women aged 18–44 years with no apparent clinical infection. Venous blood samples were collected during the visit for routine antenatal care during all three trimesters. Categorical variables were compared between groups via the chi-square test, and Student's t-test was used to compare normally distributed continuous variables. The area under the ROC curve was used to detect sensitivity and specificity and to set a cutoff. Regression analysis was performed to evaluate the effects of age and BMI on obstetric complications. P values 6.72. The incidence of composite obstetric complications was significantly greater in patients with elevated PCT levels (59% vs. 41%) (p < 0.001). Patients with elevated PCT levels had a greater frequency of preterm labor or PPROM, neonatal complications, need for intensive care, and RDS. Elevated CRP and PCT are associated with increased rates of obstetric and neonatal complications. CRP and PCT, which are inexpensive and available, may be used for screening to predict obstetric and neonatal complications during patient follow-up. This study was approved by the institutional ethical committee of the Gazi University Faculty of Medicine (Approval No:05.06.2023/479).

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