A comparison of circulating TNF-alpha in obese and lean women with and without preeclampsia
Sandra A Founds1, Robert W Powers, Thelma E Patrick
1University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA. safounds@comcast.net
Objectives:
We hypothesized that TNF-alpha would be higher in obese versus lean women with preeclampsia.
Methods:
Total plasma TNF-alpha was measured in a nested case-control study of 123 nulliparous lean and obese control women and women with preeclampsia.
Results:
Adjusted mean TNF-alpha concentrations were 0.97 +/- 0.11 (pg/mL +/- SEM) in lean controls, 1.01 +/- 0.10 in obese controls, 1.43 +/- 0.11 in lean women with preeclampsia and 1.16 +/- 0.11 in obese women with preeclampsia. Pregnancy outcome was the single predictor of TNF-alpha concentration in the general linear regression model (p = 0.04).
Conclusion:
TNF-alpha concentration was higher in preeclampsia compared with control subjects. Obesity was not associated with higher TNF-alpha concentrations in either preeclampsia or control subjects.
