Maternal serum cytokine levels in women with hyperemesis gravidarum in the first trimester of pregnancy.
Keywords
Abstract
OBJECTIVE
To compare serum cytokine levels in patients with hyperemesis gravidarum with levels in healthy pregnant and nonpregnant women.
METHODS
Case-control study.
METHODS
Clinical and academic research center.
METHODS
Thirty women with hyperemesis gravidarum, 30 healthy women in the first trimester of pregnancy, and 30 healthy nonpregnant women.
METHODS
Serum levels of interleukin-1beta, interleukin-2 receptor, interleukin-6, interleukin-8, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha.
RESULTS
Median serum levels of interleukin-2 receptor and interleukin-8 did not differ significantly among the three groups. Serum levels of interleukin-1beta and interleukin-6 were significantly higher in healthy pregnant women than in healthy nonpregnant women. Median TNF-alpha levels were significantly higher in women with hyperemesis (25.8 pg/mL [range, 4.9-140 pg/mL]) than in healthy pregnant and nonpregnant women (10.85 pg/mL [range, 4.1-35.8 pg/mL] and 12 pg/mL [4.3-68.2 pg/mL], respectively).
CONCLUSIONS
Levels of TNF-alpha were significantly higher in patients with hyperemesis gravidarum than in healthy pregnant and nonpregnant women. Thus, TNF-alpha may be involved in the etiology of hyperemesis gravidarum.
