RESUMO
OBJECTIVES: To demonstrate the use of urine congophilia quantification in the prediction and diagnosis of pre-eclampsia using Congo red dot test. STUDY DESIGN: A prospective cohort study in 378 consecutive pregnant women was conducted. All eligible, consenting women of gestational age between 10 and 34â¯weeks were enrolled in the study. The presence of urinary misfolded proteins was screened by a simple dot test technique on unsupported nitrocellulose membrane using Congo red dye. RESULTS: The urinary congophilia was increased in urine from women with pre eclampsia compared to healthy pregnant controls. The mean CRR value of pre eclamptic pregnant women (35.2⯱â¯9.4%) was five times higher than that of mean CRR value of normotensive pregnant women (6.9⯱â¯4.7%). The mean gestational age at which Congo red test showed positive was 26.95⯱â¯2.90â¯weeks and the time taken from CRD positive to development of PE was 4.92⯱â¯2.54â¯weeks of gestation. CONCLUSIONS: In our study, the CRD test was not only effective in predicting pre-eclampsia but was also useful in differentiating between pre-eclampsia and other forms of hypertension, as well as early onset and late onset pre-eclampsia, with positive predictive value of 80.36% and negative predictive value of 92.86.