Serum soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) in early pregnancy prior to clinical onset of preeclampsia

Objective. To examine whether soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) in early pregnancy could be a risk marker for later development of preeclampsia. Design. Case-control study. Setting. Hospital-based. Population. The study comprised 43 pregnant women developing preeclampsia (cases) and 86 pregnant women not developing the disorder (controls). Each case was matched with two controls with respect to pre-pregnancy body mass index, gestational age at time of blood collection, storage time of blood samples and maternal age. Methods. The samples had been taken predominantly in the first trimester as part of a routine serological screening for rubella, HIV and toxoplasmosis of Norwegian pregnant women, and were analyzed by a commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent suPARnostic? assay kit (ELISA, Virogates, Copenhagen, Denmark). Results. There was no significant difference between median suPAR levels in women who subsequently developed preeclampsia and those who did not (4.5 in the case group vs. 4.3 ng/mL in the control group, p= 0.49). The suPAR levels were relatively high compared with levels in non-pregnant women, reflecting some general physiological responsiveness associated with pregnancy irrespective of preeclampsia. The suPAR level was not related to maternal body mass index, maternal age or sample storage time, nor did it show any association with the following fetal characteristics: body weight, body length, placental weight, delivery method or gender. Conclusion. suPAR did not appear to be a useful early pre-clinical marker of preeclampsia.