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Published on: January 26, 2024
Predicting Thrombophilia in Preeclampsia: Is Universal Testing Necessary?
Ana Belén Gálvez1, Pedro Chorão1,2, Ernesto M Talegón1
1Hematology Department, Hospital Universitari i Politècnic La Fe, Valencia, Spain.
Insights
In preeclampsia (PE) patients, a history of previous abortions and intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) indicate a lower likelihood of thrombophilia (TP). Women without these factors may benefit from TP screening.
Area of Science:
- Obstetrics and Gynecology
- Hematology
- Reproductive Medicine
Background:
- Preeclampsia (PE) association with thrombophilia (TP) lacks consensus, necessitating further investigation.
- Identifying specific patient profiles linked to acquired and hereditary TP in PE is crucial.
- Developing a predictive model for TP probability in PE patients is a key research gap.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine conditions associated with acquired and hereditary thrombophilia in preeclampsia patients.
- To develop a predictive model for thrombophilia probability in women with preeclampsia.
- To clarify the role of thrombophilia in preeclampsia and identify high-risk groups for screening.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 95 women diagnosed with preeclampsia undergoing thrombophilia testing.
- Data collected between May 2019 and May 2024 at a single center.
- Multivariate analysis to identify independent predictors of thrombophilia.
Main Results:
- 19% of preeclampsia patients tested positive for thrombophilia, including antiphospholipid syndrome and genetic factors.
- Intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) and prior abortions were negatively associated with thrombophilia.
- TP prevalence was 0% with both factors, 15% with one, and 32% with neither; higher TP prevalence correlated with lower placental insufficiency and prematurity.
Conclusions:
- History of abortions and IUGR are independent predictors of the absence of thrombophilia in preeclampsia.
- Preeclampsia patients without these risk factors may benefit from hematology consultation and thrombophilia screening.
- A standardized multinational framework for thrombophilia screening in preeclampsia is recommended for future research.
Abstract:
IntroductionThrombophilia (TP) has been proposed as a potential contributor to preeclampsia (PE). However, there is not a clear consensus on testing PE patients for TP due to contradictory evidences on this association. This study aims to identify what conditions of women with PE are associated with acquired and hereditary TP, and, additionally, to build a model of TP probability using these characteristics.Material and MethodsRetrospective unicentric analysis of women diagnosed with PE referred for TP testing between May 2019 and May 2024.ResultsIn 95 women, 19 (20%) tested positive for TP, of which nine (47%) had antiphospholipid syndrome (APS), six (32%) were heterozygous for PT G20210A, two (11%) had ADAMTS13 deficiency, one (5%) had PS deficiency and one (5%) had heterozygous FV Leiden. In multivariate analysis, intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR; odds ratio (OR) 0.08, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.01-0.55) and history of previous abortions (OR 0.22, 95%CI 0.06-0.96) were negatively associated with TP. The group of women with both, one or none of those traits showed respectively a TP prevalence of 0%, 15% and 32%. The higher the prevalence of TP, the lower the incidence of placental insufficiency and prematurity (P < .05).ConclusionsIn pregnant women with PE, a history of previous abortions and IUGR were independently associated with the absence of TP. Women without these characteristics would probably benefit most from a Hematology consultation that includes a TP screening. A multinational standard TP screening framework for future studies is warranted to further our understanding of the role of TP in PE and to identify risk-groups for testing.
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