Assessment of serum amyloid A levels in preeclamptic women and healthy pregnant women

Objective. The link between preeclampsia and inflammation has directed the research to the investigation of inflammatory markers in preeclampsia. The present study aimed to evaluate serum amyloid A (SAA) levels in preeclamptic and healthy pregnant women detecting the relationship between the preeclampsia and SAA levels. Methods. Twenty preeclamptic women and eighteen pregnant women without any medical history, which constitute the control group, having between 35th to 41st gestational weeks, were included in the present study. For the analysis of SAA levels, maternal blood samples were collected within two hours before caesarean section, and the umbilical cord blood samples were collected at birth. SAA levels were measured using the enzyme linked immunosorbent assay method. Results. No significant difference was observed between the preeclamptic women and healthy pregnant women in terms of SAA levels (286.46 ng/mL versus 83.24 ng/mL; p>.144, median values). Furthermore, the same results were found in the umbilical cord blood SAA levels between the babies born from preeclamptic women and those born from healthy pregnant women (7.66 ng/mL versus 7.84 ng/mL; p=.725, median values). Conclusions. An elevated plasma level of SAA in healthy and preeclamptic women should be considered pathologic, and in this respect, the response of relationship between the preeclampsia and SAA levels could be caused by an inflammatory condition other than preeclampsia.