Plasma interleukin-1alpha, interleukin-1beta and interleukin-1 receptor antagonist levels in pre-eclampsia

The values of plasma interleukin-1alpha (IL-1alpha), interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) and interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra) levels were evaluated as the markers of pre-eclampsia in 35 serial plasma samples from ten pregnant women who subsequently developed pre-eclampsia and in 74 plasma samples from 20 uncomplicated pregnancies, retrospectively. No correlation was found between plasma IL-1alpha, IL-1beta and IL-1ra levels, liver and renal function tests, thrombocyte and white blood cell counts, proteinuria, systolic and diastolic blood pressures and gestational weeks. Almost equal levels of IL-1alpha and IL-1beta were measured in all corresponding groups, but these were too few in number to statistically analyze. IL-1ra values were higher in the pre-eclampsia group than in the uncomplicated pregnancy group, at 20-25 and 31-35 gestational weeks significantly and 26-30 gestational weeks insignificantly and showed an increase during labor in both groups. It was found to have 58% positive predictivity, 100% negative predictivity, 50% specificity and 100% sensitivity at gestational weeks 20-25. According to these results, IL-1ra seems to be considered for its high negative predictivity in the exclusion of the probability of pre-eclampsia development during antenatal visits, but its plasma level is not correlated with the severity of the disease.