Key result
Pregnancies that later developed preeclampsia had significantly higher maternal serum NGAL concentrations in the first trimester compared to normal pregnancies (30.9 vs 12.8 ng/mL; p=0.006).
Why the study?
Are maternal serum levels of NGAL, MMP-9, and MMP-9/NGAL complex elevated in pregnancies complicated by preeclampsia or SGA compared to normal pregnancies?
Cohort (n=59)
Are maternal serum levels of NGAL, MMP-9, and MMP-9/NGAL complex elevated in pregnancies complicated by preeclampsia or SGA compared to normal pregnancies?
Absolute Event Rate: 30.9% vs 12.8%
p-value: p=0.006
Maternal serum NGAL is significantly elevated in the first and second trimesters in pregnancies that later develop preeclampsia, suggesting its potential as an early biomarker.
NGAL elevation may support early preeclampsia risk assessment; leaves open its role as a validated biomarker.
BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to determine maternal serum concentrations of neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL), matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), and MMP-9/NGAL complex longitudinally in pregnancy, in normal pregnancies, in pregnancies that developed preeclampsia and in pregnancies that delivered a small for gestational age infant (SGA). METHODS: Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin, MMP-9, and MMP-9/NGAL were determined in the first, second, and third trimesters in 33 normal pregnancies, 12 pregnancies complicated by preeclampsia, and 14 pregnancies that delivered a SGA neonate. RESULTS: Median NGAL concentration (ng/mL) in normal pregnancies increased significantly from 12.8 in the first trimester to 25.9 in the second trimester (p = 0,002) and 48.0 (p < 0.0001) in the third trimester. In preeclamptic pregnancies, NGAL was significantly higher, compared with normal pregnancies, in the first (30.9; p = 0.006) and second (44.6; p = 0.015) trimesters. MMP-9 and MMP-9/NGAL complex concentrations in preeclamptic pregnancies did not differ significantly from normal pregnancies in either trimester. Pregnancies with an SGA infant did not have different marker concentrations in either trimester, compared with normal pregnancies. CONCLUSION: Maternal serum NGAL, MMP-9, and MMP-9/NGAL complex concentrations tend to increase during pregnancy in normal and preeclamptic pregnancies. NGAL was significantly elevated in the first and second trimesters, in pregnancies that later developed preeclampsia.
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Karampas et al. (2014) conducted a cohort in Pregnancy (preeclampsia and small for gestational age) (n=59). Preeclampsia vs. Normal pregnancies was evaluated on Maternal serum NGAL concentration in the first trimester (ng/mL) (p=0.006). Pregnancies that later developed preeclampsia had significantly higher maternal serum NGAL concentrations in the first trimester compared to normal pregnancies (30.9 vs 12.8 ng/mL; p=0.006).
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