Serum Catestatin and Severity of Preeclampsia at a Tertiary Hospital in Southern Nigeria

Background: Preeclampsia is one of the most common causes of maternal morbidity and mortality. Extensive research into biomarkers that can help us understand the disease is vital to alleviating its burden. Catestatin, an endogenously produced regulator of cardiac function and blood pressure, may be associated with the severity of the disease. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study involving 56 pregnant women with varying forms of preeclampsia. Blood samples were obtained at diagnosis, centrifuged and the sera were stored at -200C until analysis. The catestatin levels of the sera were then measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Results: The mean serum catestatin among patients with mild preeclampsia and severe preeclampsia were 3.3 ±1.2ng/ml and 4.5±2.5ng/ml, respectively (p=0.011). Conclusion: The serum catestatin level significantly relates to the increasing severity of preeclampsia. There might be a potential value for using serum catestatin to assess the severity of the disease.