The Utility of Maternal Blood S100B in Women with Suspected or Established Preeclampsia-A Systematic Review

Preeclampsia is a serious pregnancy complication without curative treatment. The central nervous system (CNS) is affected in severe cases of preeclampsia. Until now, no biomarker or other predictive method has been established for predicting severe CNS injury, including the development of eclampsia and/or long-term complications. In this systematic review, we aimed to investigate the association between maternal blood (serum or plasma) S100B levels and preeclampsia, focusing on its predictive value and correlation with the severity of the disease, with a particular focus on neurological symptoms.

A search of online databases, including Medline via PubMed, Scopus databases, and Web of Science, was performed based on the PRISMA guidelines for systematic reviews.

Ten case-control studies that met the inclusion criteria were identified and further evaluated according to the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS). All of the studies revealed that S100B blood levels were higher in preeclampsia compared to uncomplicated pregnancies before onset, after its diagnosis, and one year postpartum. Its predictive value seems to be adequate long before the onset of preeclampsia, especially in the early third trimester. Furthermore, its levels seem to correlate with severe complications during pregnancy, such as eclampsia and HELLP syndrome, as well as neurological dysfunction postpartum.

S100B is a promising biomarker for the prediction of acute and long-term CNS injury in preeclampsia. Still, additional studies should be conducted in order to establish a standard method of measurement and solidify its clinical use in preeclampsia management, providing individualized care in order to improve perinatal outcomes and provide personalized follow-up postpartum.