[Relationship between the serum B-HCG and preeclampsia and its severity]

ABSTRACT

Preeclampsia as the most common complication of pregnancies has unknown physiopathology. Because the role of serum Beta-human Chorionic Gonadotropin [B-hCG] in pathophysiology of preeclampsia is not well known, we decided to determine the correlation between serum concentration of B-HCG and preeclampsia. This case-control study performed on two groups of 40 preeclamptic nulliparous and 40 healthy term pregnant women at obstetrics and gynecology ward of Sh. Yahyanejhad Hospital in Babol during 2003-4. Serum B- hCG concentration was measured in all patients. Patients with chronic hyprtension, diabetes, multiple pregnancies or medial diseases were excluded. The data were analyzed using Chi-square, T-Test and ANOVA, Mann-Whitney and Kruskall-Wallis tests. The maternal serum Beta hCG levels in patients with preeclampsia were [39840 +/- 24630] IU/L which is higher in comparison with healthy ones [27460 +/- 25862] IU/L [P=0.031]. The mean of serum beta hCG levels were 31991 +/- 16758 and 84312 +/- 9257 in mild and severe preeclampsia [P<0/0001]. Serum Beta hCG level is higher in preeclamptic women than normal pregnancies. It is also noticed that the higher the levels of serum Beta hCG the more severe the preeclampsia. This finding, in turn, reinforces the association between elevated HCG concentrations and placental damage