Identification of Matrix Metalloproteinase-2 and 9 as Biomarker of Intrahepatic Cholestasis of Pregnancy

ABSTRACT Intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP) is a severe liver disease uniquely occurring during pregnancy. In this study we aimed to identify novel biomarker for the diagnosis of ICP in Chinese population. 50 healthy pregnant women, 50 mild ICP patients and 48 severe ICP patients were enrolled for this study. Liver function tests, including serum total bilirubin, direct bilirubin, alanine transaminase, aspartate aminotransferase and cholyglycine, were performed in all participants. After an overnight fast serum levels of total bile acids (TBA), matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and MMP-9 were measured, and their correlation with liver function tests were analyzed. The observed increase in serum TBA in ICP patients was not statistically significant which made it unreliable for diagnosis of ICP in Chinese population. On the other hand, both MMP-2 and MMP-9 serum levels exhibited a progressive and significant elevation in mild and severe ICP patients compared with healthy pregnant women, which also positively correlated with liver function tests. Serum levels of both MMP-2 and MMP-9 could be reliably used as laboratory abnormalities for accurate diagnosis and sensitive grading of ICP in Chinese population.

Esteatose hepática aguda na gestaçäo / Acute fatty liver of pregnancy

A esteatose Hepatica Aguda na gestacao e uma patologia que ocorre no terceiro trimestre, que acarreta prejuizo ao figado materno podendo gerar graves complicacoes. Acreditava-se que fosse uma patologia rara, porem trabalhos realizados nas decadas de 80 e 90 tem constatado o seu diagnostico mais frequente. A etiopatogenia permanece desconhecida. Varios estudiosos tem correlacionado com alteracao da beta-oxidacao dos acidos graxos por deficiencia na cadeia longa da 3-hidroxiacyl coenzima A dehidrogenase. O tratamento desta patologia consiste na antecipacao do parto, conduta que vem reduzindo a mortalidade materna e fetal