Maternal serum uric acid level and maternal and neonatal complications in preeclamptic women: A cross-sectional study

• Published in: Iranian journal of reproductive medicine Vol. 15; no. 9
• Main Authors: Asgharnia, Maryam, Mirblouk, Fariba, Kazemi, Soudabeh, Pourmarzi, Davood, Keivani, Mina Mahdipour, Heirati, Seyedeh Fatemeh Dalil
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Research and Clinical Center for Infertility, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences of Yazd 30-07-2019
• Subjects: High-risk; Preeclampsia; Pregnancy; Pregnancy complications; Uric acid
• ISSN: 1680-6433

Background: Preeclampsia is associated with maternal and neonatal
complications. It has been indicated that increased uric acid might
have a predictive role on preeclampsia. Objective: We aimed to
investigate the relationship between the level of uric acid with
maternal and neonatal complications in women with preeclampsia.
Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 160 singleton
preeclamptic women at more than 28 wk gestational age were included.
Hemoglobin, hematocrit, platelet count, liver and uric acid tests, and
maternal and neonatal complications were assessed. The severity of
preeclampsia, placental abruption, preterm labor, thrombocytopenia,
elevated alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase (ALT
and AST), HELLP syndrome, eclampsia and required hospitalization in the
ICU was considered as the maternal complication. Fetal complications
were: small for gestational age (SGA), intrauterine fetal death,
hospitalization in the neonatal intensive care unit, and Apgar score
<7 at five minutes. Results: Of our participants, 38 women had
severe preeclampsia (23.8%). The mean level of uric acid in women with
severe preeclampsia was significantly higher than non-severe
preeclampsia (p=0.031), also in those with an abnormal liver test
(p=0.009). The mean level of uric acid in women with preterm delivery
was significantly higher than women with term delivery (p=0.0001).
Also, the level of uric acid had no effect on neonatal hospitalization
in neonate invasive care unit. Based on logistic regression, the
incidence of severe preeclampsia not affected by decreased or increased
serum levels of uric acid. Conclusion: With higher level of uric acid
in server preeclampsia we can expected more complications such as
hepatic dysfunction and preterm delivery. Thus serum uric acid
measurement can be helpful marker for severe preeclampsia.