Urinary Congophilia Confirmed With the CapCord Test Is Associated With Pregnancy Outcomes in Women With Early-Onset Pre-eclampsia

Prediction of adverse maternal and perinatal outcomes associated with pre-eclampsia and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background

Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy are a leading cause of maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality. If women at high risk for developing complications could be identified early, level of care could be triaged, limited resources could be correctly allocated and targeted interventions to prevent complications could be implemented.

Methods

We updated a systematic review and meta-analysis and added single outcomes. Women with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy were included. Exposures were tests predicting adverse maternal and/or perinatal outcomes. We searched Medline, Embase, CINAHL, and Cochrane library from January 2016-February 2024. We included studies identified from the previous review. We calculated effect measures. For similar predictive tests and outcomes, area under the receiver-operating-characteristic curve (AUROC) were pooled. This study was registered by PROSPERO: CRD42022336368.

Findings

Of the 2898 studies identified, 80 were included. Thirty were added from the previous review resulting in 110 included studies with 506,178 women. Despite more than 1500 tests being performed, most outcomes could not be pooled due to heterogeneity in populations, tests, and outcome definitions. For maternal outcomes, only studies reporting on the Pre-eclampsia Integrated Estimate of RiSk (fullPIERS) model could be pooled. For the composite outcome within 48-h the AUROC was 0.78 (95% CI 0.71-0.86, N = 8). There was significant heterogeneity (I 2  = 95.7%). For perinatal outcomes, data were pooled for pulsatility index in the umbilical artery and soluble FMS-like tyrosine kinase-1 (sFlt-1)/placental growth factor (PlGF) ratio. Biomarkers like the sFlt-1/PlGF ratio showed promising predictive performance for some outcomes but were not externally validated.

Interpretation

Despite including over 100 studies with more than 1500 predictors, we were unable to pool any single maternal outcomes and only a few individual perinatal outcomes. The fullPIERS model was externally validated, showing moderate accuracy which varied across studies and should be validated in each new population. Angiogenic biomarkers showed promise but need validation. Future studies should use standardized outcome measures and validate promising tests.

Funding

VB is supported by the Swedish Research Council, Grant number 2020-01481. University of Gothenburg.

A point-of-care urine test to predict adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes in Asian women with suspected preeclampsia

OBJECTIVES

To assess clinical utility of the urine Congo red dot test (CRDT) in predicting composite adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes in women with suspected preeclampsia (PE).

METHODS

CRDT result and pregnancy outcomes were prospectively documented in women with new onset or pre-existing hypertension, new or pre-existing proteinuria, PE symptoms and suspected PE-related fetal growth restriction or abnormal Doppler presenting from 20 weeks' gestation between January 2020 and December 2022. Participants and clinicians were blinded to the CRDT result and managed according to internally agreed protocols. Composite maternal outcome was defined as PE, postpartum hemorrhage, intensive care unit admission, and maternal death. Composite neonatal outcome was defined as small for gestational age, preterm birth, 5-min Apgar score < 7, neonatal intensive care unit admission, and neonatal death.

RESULTS

Two hundred and forty-four women out of two hundred and fifty-one (97.2%) had a negative CRDT. All seven women with positive CRDT had both adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes, giving positive predictive values (PPV) of 100%. Rates of composite adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes in CDRT negative women were 103/244 [42.2%, 95% confidence interval (CI) 36.2%-48.5%] and 170/244 (69.7%, 95% CI 63.6%-75.1%), respectively. CRDT negative predictive values (NPV) for adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes were, respectively, 141/244 (57.8%, 95% CI 48.6%-68.2%) and 74/244 (30.3%, 95% CI 23.8%-38.1%).

CONCLUSION

CRDT had low NPV but high PPV for adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes in women with suspected PE. Its role in clinical management and triage of women with suspected PE is limited as it cannot identify those at low risk of developing adverse outcomes.

Potential urinary biomarkers in preeclampsia: a narrative review

INTRODUCTION

Preeclampsia (PE) is a highly relevant pregnancy-related disorder. An early and accurate diagnosis is crucial to prevent major maternal and neonatal complications and mortality. Due to the association of kidney dysfunction with the pathophysiology of the disease, urine samples have the potential to provide biomarkers for PE prediction, being minimally invasive and easy to perform. Therefore, searching for novel biomarkers may improve outcomes. This narrative review aimed to summarize the scientific literature about the traditional and potential urinary biomarkers in PE and to investigate their applicability to screen and diagnose the disorder.

METHODS

A non-systematic search was performed in PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, and SciELO databases.

RESULTS

There is significant divergence in the literature regarding traditionally used serum markers creatinine, cystatin C, and albuminuria, accuracy in PE prediction. As for the potential renal biomarkers investigated, including vascular epithelial growth factor (VEGF), placental growth factor (PlGF), and soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase (sFlt-1), urinary levels of PlGF and sFtl-1/PlGF ratio in urine seem to be the most promising as screening tests. The assessment of the global load of misfolded proteins through urinary congophilia, podocyturia, and nephrinuria has also shown potential for screening and diagnosis. Studies regarding the use of proteomics and metabolomics have shown good accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity for predicting the development and severity of PE.

CONCLUSION

However, there are still many divergences in the literature, which requires future and more conclusive research to confirm the predictive role of urinary biomarkers in pregnant women with PE.

Impaired Extracellular Proteostasis in Patients with Heart Failure

BACKGROUND

Proteostasis impairment and the consequent increase of amyloid burden in the myocardium have been associated with heart failure (HF) development and poor prognosis. A better knowledge of the protein aggregation process in biofluids could assist the development and monitoring of tailored interventions.

AIM

To compare the proteostasis status and protein's secondary structures in plasma samples of patients with HF with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), patients with HF with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), and age-matched individuals.

METHODS

A total of 42 participants were enrolled in 3 groups: 14 patients with HFpEF, 14 patients with HFrEF, and 14 age-matched individuals. Proteostasis-related markers were analyzed by immunoblotting techniques. Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) Spectroscopy in Attenuated Total Reflectance (ATR) was applied to assess changes in the protein's conformational profile.

RESULTS

Patients with HFrEF showed an elevated concentration of oligomeric proteic species and reduced clusterin levels. ATR-FTIR spectroscopy coupled with multivariate analysis allowed the discrimination of HF patients from age-matched individuals in the protein amide I absorption region (1700-1600 cm^-1), reflecting changes in protein conformation, with a sensitivity of 73 and a specificity of 81%. Further analysis of FTIR spectra showed significantly reduced random coils levels in both HF phenotypes. Also, compared to the age-matched group, the levels of structures related to fibril formation were significantly increased in patients with HFrEF, whereas the β-turns were significantly increased in patients with HFpEF.

CONCLUSION

Both HF phenotypes showed a compromised extracellular proteostasis and different protein conformational changes, suggesting a less efficient protein quality control system.