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Elevated circulating concentrations of platelet activating factor in preeclampsia
B L Rowland1, S T Vermillion, W E Roudebush
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical University of South Carolina 29401-9901, USA.
Objective:
The aim of this study was to determine whether any association exists between preeclampsia and circulating platelet activating factor levels.
Study Design:
We performed a cross-sectional observational study of circulating platelet activating factor concentrations in nonpregnant women, normotensive pregnant women in the third trimester, women with preeclampsia in the third trimester, and normotensive men. Platelet activating factor concentrations were measured with a commercially available platelet activating factor-specific radioimmunoassay (NEN Life Science Products, Inc, Boston, Mass). The primary outcome measure was the difference in mean platelet activating factor concentrations among the 4 study groups. Preeclampsia was determined according to the criteria of The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Data were analyzed with the Student t test, the chi(2) test, the Fisher exact test, analysis of variance, and the Tukey test for pairwise multiple comparisons, with significance established at P <.05.
Results:
The mean (+/-SD) circulating concentration of platelet activating factor was significantly higher in the group with preeclampsia (338.1 +/- 26.9 ng/mL) than in either the normotensive pregnant group (217.9 +/- 25.9 ng/mL; P <.05) or the nonpregnant female group (237.9 +/- 20.9 ng/mL; P <.05). The 2 pregnant groups were similar with respect to selected demographic characteristics and gestational age at time of collection. There were no significant differences in the mean platelet activating factor concentrations between the group with preeclampsia and the normotensive male group or between the normotensive pregnant female group and the nonpregnant female group.
Conclusion:
Circulating platelet activating factor concentrations were increased in women with pregnancies complicated by preeclampsia with respect to those in normotensive pregnant women and normotensive nonpregnant women. Platelet activating factor may therefore serve as a marker for the risk of preeclampsia.