Evaluation of serum granulocyte colony stimulating factor levels in infants of preeclamptic mothers.

ABSTRACT

In this study we aimed to evaluate the relationship between serum granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) levels and absolute neutrophil counts (ANC) in infants of preeclamptic mothers. The study group consisted of 31 infants of preeclamptic mothers while the control group consisted of 24 gestational age-adjusted infants of normotensive mothers. G-CSF levels were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The mean G-CSF level was 981.8 +/- 1682.5 (25.7-5924) pg/ml in the study group and 770.8 +/- 1779 (18-8526) pg/ml in control group (p > 0.05). There was no correlation between G-CSF levels and absolute or total neutrophil counts on the 1st, 2nd and 7th days in infants of preeclamptic mothers. There were positive correlations between G-CSF levels and ANC on the 1st and 7th days of life in infants of normotensive mothers. Neutropenia developed in 42.3% of the study group and in 21.7% of the control group on the 1st day of life (p > 0.05). On the 2nd day, neutropenia was observed in 61.5% of the study group and 26.1% of the control group (p = 0.013). Serum G-CSF levels were not low in neutropenic babies of preeclamptic mothers. In contrast, higher G-CSF levels in neutropenic infants suggest impaired G-CSF response in infants of preeclamptic mothers.