Correlation of systemic inflammation biomarkers and disease severity in pregnant women with COVID-19.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the prognostic value of whole blood parameters, systemic inflammatory indices, and systemic inflammatory markers in pregnant women with COVID-19. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, the demographic, clinical, and laboratory data (i.e., whole blood parameters, C-reactive protein, procalcitonin, ferritin, and D-dimer) of 464 pregnant women with COVID-19 who attended a tertiary hospital between January and April 2021 were reviewed. Systemic inflammatory indices (i.e., neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio, platelet/lymphocyte ratio, platelet/neutrophil ratio, and systemic immune inflammation index) were calculated. Asymptomatic and mildly symptomatic pregnant women were classified as Group 1 (n=413), and those with severe disease were classified as Group 2 (n=51). RESULTS: Lymphocyte count and lymphocyte percentage in whole blood parameters were significantly lower (p<0.05), and C-reactive protein, ferritin, and procalcitonin values were higher in Group 2 (p<0.05). Systemic inflammatory indices [neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (4.7±2.9 (1.1-21.2) vs 7.5±4.7 (2.13-23.2)), platelet/lymphocyte ratio (191.1±104.3 (53.0-807.1) vs 269.5±118.9 (105.0-756.0)), systemic immune inflammation index (1,000±663 (209-5,231) vs 1,630±1,314 (345-7,006))] were found statistically significantly higher in severe disease group (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: Evidence in this study indicates that neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio, platelet/lymphocyte ratio, and systemic immune inflammation index at first admission are simple, rapid, and inexpensive indices in predicting the prognosis of COVID-19 in pregnant women.

The Role of Inflammatory Hematological Markers in Predicting IVF Success.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the predictive role of inflammatory hematological markers on treatment success in in vitro fertilization (IVF) patients. METHODS: In this study, we analyzed the data from the patients who admitted to our IVF center, and we recorded demographic characteristics, medical histories, laboratory biomarkers, cycle characteristics, and IVF outcomes from the patients' files. We assessed the value of white blood cell (WBC) counts, neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR), monocyte/lymphocyte ratio (MLR), platelet/lymphocyte (PLR), mean platelet volume (MPV) and platelet distribution width (PDW) of the patients from their complete blood count. We compared these values in terms of predicting positive HCG test after embryo transfer (ET). RESULTS: There were 132 patients, of which 63 (47.7%) were treated for male factor, 43 (32.6%) for unexplained infertility, 19 (14.4%) for diminished ovarian reserve, 5 (3.8%) for endometriosis and 2 (1.5%) for hypogonadotropic hypogonadism. After ovarian stimulation and oocyte retrieval, 115 patients underwent embryo transfer, and 28 patients had a positive HCG test (24.3%). The positive HCG group had a statistically lower PLR when compared to the HCG (-) group (p=0.02). In the ROC analysis, PLR was significant in predicting positive HCG (p=0.028). However, when we added other factors to the model, only age and MII oocyte count were successful in predicting pregnancy outcomes in a logistic regression analysis. CONCLUSION: According our results, inflammatory hematological markers were not effective in predicting IVF success.

Prediction of gestational diabetes mellitus in the first trimester: comparison of maternal fetuin-A, N-terminal proatrial natriuretic peptide, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, and fasting glucose levels.

OBJECTIVE: We investigated the utility of maternal fetuin-A, N-terminal proatrial natriuretic peptide (pro-ANP), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), and fasting glucose levels at 11-14 gestation weeks for predicting pregnancies complicated by gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). SUBJECTS AND METHODS: This prospective cohort study included 327 low-risk pregnant women who completed antenatal follow-up at a tertiary research hospital between January and April 2014. Maternal blood samples were collected between 11-14 gestational weeks in the first trimester of pregnancy and then stored at -80 °C until further analyses. During follow-up, 29 (8.8%) women developed GDM. The study population was compared 1:2 with age- and body mass index-matched pregnant women who did not develop GDM (n = 59). Fasting plasma glucose (FPG) levels and serum fetuin-A, pro-ANP, and hs-CRP levels were measured using automated immunoassay systems. RESULTS: There was a significant negative correlation between fetuin-A and hs-CRP (CC = -0.21, p = 0.047) and a positive correlation between FPG and hs-CRP (CC = 0.251, p = 0.018). The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve for diagnosing GDM were 0.337 (p = 0.013), 0.702 (p = 0.002), and 0.738 (p < 0.001) for fetuin-A, hs-CRP, and FPG, respectively. The optimal cut-off values were > 4.65, < 166, and > 88.5 mg/dL for maternal hs-CRP, fetuin-A, and FPG, respectively. CONCLUSION: Reduced fetuin-A, elevated hs-CRP, and FPG levels in women in the first trimester can be used for the early detection of GDM. Further research is needed before accepting these biomarkers as valid screening tests for GDM.

Impact of subclinical hypothyroidism and thyroid autoimmunity on clinical pregnancy rate after intrauterine insemination in euthyroid women.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the association between subclinical hypothyroidism and thyroid autoantibodies with clinical pregnancy rate after intrauterine insemination (IUI) in euthyroid women. METHODS: In this prospective cohort study, we recruited 497 women who underwent IUI treatment. We assessed thyroid function tests, thyroid antibodies and clinical pregnancy rates of the patients. RESULTS: The patients were divided into two groups according to TSH values: normal group, n=387, and subclinical hypothyroidism group 2, n=110. The clinical pregnancy rate was 15.2% in the Control Group and 17.3% in the study group (p=0.656). In the Study Group, 35% of the patients had anti-TPO positivity (p=0.531) and 42.1% of the patients had anti-TG positivity (p=0.285). There was no statistically significant difference in clinical pregnancy rates between the groups in terms of antithyroid antibody positivity (p=0.54; p=0.559, respectively). CONCLUSION: Anti-TPO antibodies and subclinical hypothyroidism had no impact on clinical pregnancy rates in the women submitted to IUI.

Prediction of gestational diabetes mellitus in the first trimester: comparison of maternal fetuin-A, N-terminal proatrial natriuretic peptide, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, and fasting glucose levels

ABSTRACT Objective We investigated the utility of maternal fetuin-A, N-terminal proatrial natriuretic peptide (pro-ANP), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), and fasting glucose levels at 11-14 gestation weeks for predicting pregnancies complicated by gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Subjects and methods This prospective cohort study included 327 low-risk pregnant women who completed antenatal follow-up at a tertiary research hospital between January and April 2014. Maternal blood samples were collected between 11-14 gestational weeks in the first trimester of pregnancy and then stored at -80 °C until further analyses. During follow-up, 29 (8.8%) women developed GDM. The study population was compared 1:2 with age- and body mass index-matched pregnant women who did not develop GDM (n = 59). Fasting plasma glucose (FPG) levels and serum fetuin-A, pro-ANP, and hs-CRP levels were measured using automated immunoassay systems. Results There was a significant negative correlation between fetuin-A and hs-CRP (CC = -0.21, p = 0.047) and a positive correlation between FPG and hs-CRP (CC = 0.251, p = 0.018). The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve for diagnosing GDM were 0.337 (p = 0.013), 0.702 (p = 0.002), and 0.738 (p < 0.001) for fetuin-A, hs-CRP, and FPG, respectively. The optimal cut-off values were > 4.65, < 166, and > 88.5 mg/dL for maternal hs-CRP, fetuin-A, and FPG, respectively. Conclusion Reduced fetuin-A, elevated hs-CRP, and FPG levels in women in the first trimester can be used for the early detection of GDM. Further research is needed before accepting these biomarkers as valid screening tests for GDM.

Sirtuin 1 Levels in Recurrent Implantation Failure / Níveis de sirtuína 1 em falhas recorrentes de implantação

Abstract Sirtuin 1 has an important role in cellular processes, including apoptosis and cellular stress. The purpose of this study was to assess serum sirtuin 1 levels in women with recurrent implantation failure (RIF). In this cross-sectional study, we included 28 women with RIF, 29 healthy women who had conceived by in vitro fertilization (IVF), and 30 women with a 1-cycle failure of IVF as controls. Human serum nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD)-dependent deacetylase sirtuin-1 (SIRT1/SIRT2L1) levels were detected using a commercial colorimetric kit. Recurrent implantation failure patients have higher sirtuin 1 levels than non-pregnant women and healthy pregnant women, but this difference did not reach statistical significance due to the low number of patients in our study. These higher sirtuin 1 levels may result from the inflammation imbalance of RIF patients. The only statistically significant correlation found was between age and sirtuin (r = 0.277, p = 0.009).

Resumo A sirtuína 1 tem importante função nos processos celulares, incluindo a apoptose e o estresse celular. O objetivo deste estudo é o de avaliar níveis de sirtuína 1 em mulheres com falhas recorrentes de implantação (FRI). Neste estudo cruzado, incluímos 28 mulheres com FRI, 29 mulheres saudáveis que deram à luz por fertilização in vitro (FIV) bem-sucedida, e 30 mulheres com 1 ciclo de FIV malsucedido como controle. Os níveis de sirtuína 1 em soro humano de desacetilase dependente de dinucleotídeo de nicotinamida adenina (DNA) (SIRT1/SIRT2L1) foram detectados usando um kit colorimétrico comercial. Pacientes com FRI tiveram níveis de sirtuína 1 superiores às pacientes grávidas e aos controles, mas esta diferença não atingiu significância estatística devido ao baixo número de pacientes envolvidos. Estes níveis mais altos de sirtuína 1 podem ser resultado da inflamação desigual em pacientes com FRI. A única correlação estatisticamente significante encontrada foi entre idade e sirtuína (r = 0,277, p = 0,009).

Sirtuin 1 Levels in Recurrent Implantation Failure.

Sirtuin 1 has an important role in cellular processes, including apoptosis and cellular stress. The purpose of this study was to assess serum sirtuin 1 levels in women with recurrent implantation failure (RIF). In this cross-sectional study, we included 28 women with RIF, 29 healthy women who had conceived by in vitro fertilization (IVF), and 30 women with a 1-cycle failure of IVF as controls. Human serum nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD)-dependent deacetylase sirtuin-1 (SIRT1/SIRT2L1) levels were detected using a commercial colorimetric kit. Recurrent implantation failure patients have higher sirtuin 1 levels than non-pregnant women and healthy pregnant women, but this difference did not reach statistical significance due to the low number of patients in our study. These higher sirtuin 1 levels may result from the inflammation imbalance of RIF patients. The only statistically significant correlation found was between age and sirtuin (r = 0.277, p = 0.009).

A sirtuína 1 tem importante função nos processos celulares, incluindo a apoptose e o estresse celular. O objetivo deste estudo é o de avaliar níveis de sirtuína 1 em mulheres com falhas recorrentes de implantação (FRI). Neste estudo cruzado, incluímos 28 mulheres com FRI, 29 mulheres saudáveis que deram à luz por fertilização in vitro (FIV) bem-sucedida, e 30 mulheres com 1 ciclo de FIV malsucedido como controle. Os níveis de sirtuína 1 em soro humano de desacetilase dependente de dinucleotídeo de nicotinamida adenina (DNA) (SIRT1/SIRT2L1) foram detectados usando um kit colorimétrico comercial. Pacientes com FRI tiveram níveis de sirtuína 1 superiores às pacientes grávidas e aos controles, mas esta diferença não atingiu significância estatística devido ao baixo número de pacientes envolvidos. Estes níveis mais altos de sirtuína 1 podem ser resultado da inflamação desigual em pacientes com FRI. A única correlação estatisticamente significante encontrada foi entre idade e sirtuína (r = 0,277, p = 0,009).