Maternal serum transforming growth factor beta-2 in preeclampsia and eclampsia, a potential biomarker for the assessment of disease severity and fetal outcome.

OBJECTIVE: The emerging role of transforming growth factor beta in hypertension, kidney disease, and trophoblast differentiation promoted our interest in evaluating the clinical value of assaying maternal serum TGF-beta2 levels in pregnancies complicated by preeclampsia and eclampsia. We wished to determine these levels in relation to the severity of the disease, the degree of renal involvement, and fetal outcome.
METHODS: A prospective study was carried out in 50 pregnant patients with preeclampsia (PE) and eclampsia and these women were compared to 20 pregnant normotensive controls. Preeclamptic patients were subdivided into 20 cases of mild PE, 20 cases of severe PE, and 10 cases of eclampsia. Maternal serum levels of TGF-beta2 were determined in all cases by enzyme immunoassay. Maternal serum creatinine and uric acid were measured, together with an assessment of fetal well being, using the Biophysical Profile Score.
RESULTS: Maternal serum TGF-beta2 levels were significantly increased in cases of severe preeclampsia and eclampsia compared to controls. This increase was positively correlated with elevated levels of serum creatinine and uric acid, as well as poor biophysical profile scores (BPS), and low birth weight (LBW).
CONCLUSION: Measurement of maternal serum TGF-beta2 levels in preeclampsia may be a useful biomarker for the assessment of the severity of disease and fetal outcome in PE.