Comparison of VEGF-A values between pregnant women with COVID-19 and healthy pregnancies and its association with composite adverse outcomes.

The aim is to compare VEGF-A values between pregnant women with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and healthy controls. Furthermore, the association of inflammation parameters, disease severity, and obstetric complications with VEGF-A was investigated. This prospective case-control study was conducted on pregnant women who were admitted to Ankara City Hospital between June 14, 2020 and August 28, 2020. Pregnant women with COVID-19 (n = 95) were compared with a control group of healthy pregnant women (n = 92) with similar clinical and demographic characteristics. Demographic features, clinical characteristics, laboratory test results, VEGF-A values were compared between the groups. A correlation analysis was performed between VEGF-A levels, inflammation parameters, and clinical characteristics of the cases for pregnant women with COVID-19. VEGF-A levels were also compared between patients with composite adverse outcome and patients without any complication in the COVID-19 group. The two groups were similar except for obstetric complications (p > .05). The obstetric complication rate was higher in the COVID-19 group (p =.02). The two groups were comparable in terms of neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio and VEGF-A values. VEGF-A values were slightly different between the trimesters. A negative moderate statistically significant correlation was found between the neutrophil and VEGF-A values (r = -0.231, p =.02). VEGF-A values were similar between patients with and without composite adverse outcomes (p > .05). VEGF-A values were similar between pregnant women with COVID-19 and healthy controls.

Pendrin Expression in Preeclampsia: A Prospective Immunohistochemical Staining Study on Placental Bed Biopsies.

INTRODUCTION: To assess the pendrin expression density in placental bed biopsies from preeclampsia cases in comparison with healthy term controls. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A prospective case-control study with 106 placental bed biopsies obtained during cesarean deliveries. Pendrin expression was evaluated by immunohistochemical staining in different hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. RESULTS: Pendrin immunostaining frequency was higher in the hypertensive disorders group (p: 0.024), which was a result of the high frequency in the early-onset preeclampsia group. Uterine artery pulsatility indices were higher in pendrin positive patients than in the negatives in the case group. Gravidity was not found to affect the pendrin expression frequency in the placental bed. CONCLUSION: Placental ischemia seems to be an important determinant of pendrin expression in pregnant decidua. Increased pendrin density in early-onset preeclampsia could be a pathogenetic mechanism in or a part of the adaptational response to the development of the hypertension.