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Can Staining of Damaged Proteins in Urine Effectively Predict Preeclampsia?
Marei Sammar1, Argyro Syngelaki, Adi Sharabi-Nov
1Prof. Ephraim Katzir Department of Biotechnology Engineering, ORT Braude College, Karmiel, Israel.
Insights
The Congo red urine test can help predict preeclampsia (PE) in early pregnancy. While not perfect alone, it improves prediction accuracy when combined with other risk factors, especially for high-risk individuals.
Area of Science:
- Obstetrics and Gynecology
- Biochemical Diagnostics
- Maternal-Fetal Medicine
Background:
- Preeclampsia (PE) is a serious pregnancy complication.
- Early prediction of PE is crucial for timely intervention.
- Existing prediction methods have limitations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the utility of the Congo red urine test for preeclampsia prediction in the first trimester.
- To assess the diagnostic accuracy of the Congo red test in early pregnancy.
Main Methods:
- Developed a Congo red urine test using urine samples.
- Applied the test to a first-trimester cohort of 642 pregnant women.
- Analyzed detection rates, false-positive rates, and odds ratios.
Main Results:
- The Congo red test showed a detection rate of 33.3% for early PE and 20% for all PE cases in the first trimester, with a 12.8% false-positive rate.
- The test's predictive value improved when combined with other factors like previous PE and obesity.
- The combined model yielded a significant odds ratio of 13.92 for PE.
Conclusions:
- The Congo red urine test can verify preeclampsia when symptoms are present.
- In the first trimester, the test enhances PE prediction accuracy, particularly in high-risk women.
- Combining the Congo red test with clinical factors offers a more robust prediction model.
Objectives:
To assess Congo red urine test in the first trimester for preeclampsia (PE) prediction.
Sample:
A Congo red test was developed with a cohort of 81 pregnant women in Bnai Zion hospital, Israel, at 26-41 weeks of gestation (12 PE cases). The test was then applied to a first-trimester cohort of 642 women at King's College Hospital, UK (105 subsequently developed PE, 21 early, i.e., <34 weeks; 537 controls).
Methods:
Urine samples were spotted onto nitrocellulose membranes, stained with Congo red, de-stained, dried and quantified with imager and densitometry.
Results:
At PE signs and symptoms, the detection rate (DR) was 93% and the false-positive rate (FPR) 4%. However, with first-trimester urine samples, the DR was 33.3%, 16.1% and 20% for early, late and all PE cases, respectively, at 12.8% FPR. The odds ratio (OR) for PE by Congo red alone (including adjusted OR) was superior to body mass index and mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) but inferior to previous PE and black ethnicity. Combining all five parameters generated an adjusted OR of 13.92 for PE (p < 0.001).
Conclusion:
Congo red urine test at PE verifies the disorder. In the first trimester, it adds accuracy for PE prediction in obese, black women, who had previous PE and over-average MAP.
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