Elevated serum-soluble Fas in preeclampsia: correlation with clinical, laboratory, and Doppler parameters

(i) To compare the levels of soluble Fas (sFas) in the sera of patients with variable degrees of preeclampsia and in healthy gravidas; and (ii) to correlate sFas with clinical, laboratory, and Doppler parameters in preeclampsia.

Fifty patients with mild preeclampsia, 50 patients with severe preeclampsia, and 50 healthy normotensive pregnant women (control group) were selected from those admitted to the delivery unit. All were nearly of the same maternal and gestational ages. Patients and controls were subjected to (i) history taking; (ii) general, abdominal, and pelvic examination; (iii) laboratory investigations including serum sFas, total bilirubin, aspartate transaminase, alanine transaminase, creatinine, uric acid, hematocrit value, platelet count, and 24 urinary proteins; (iv) obstetric ultrasound and biophysical profile; (v) Doppler cerebroplacental ratio; and (vi) neonatal assessment after delivery.

Serum sFas was significantly higher (p < 0.001) in patients with mild and severe preeclampsia than in normal controls, and in patients with severe preeclampsia than in those with mild disease. In preeclampsia group, sFas correlated positively with systolic (r = 0.386; p < 0.001) and diastolic (r = 0.347; p = 0.001) blood pressures, serum uric acid (r = 0.452; p < 0.001), and urinary protein (r = 0.416; p < 0.001); and correlated negatively with biophysical profile (r = -0.371; p < 0.001), cerebroplacental ratio (r = -0.527; p < 0.001), and birth weight (r = -0.458; p < 0.001).

Serum sFas is significantly elevated in preeclampsia and is correlated with some important clinical, laboratory, and Doppler parameters. Further longitudinal studies are recommended to investigate the possible value of sFas as an early predictor of preeclampsia and its severity.