Serum levels of pro and anti-inflammatory cytokines in threatened miscarriage in pregnant women within Owerri metropolis, Nigeria

Ignatius C Maduka 1 and Cynthia T Uzoho 2, *

1Department of Human Biochemistry, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Nnewi campus, Anambra State, Nigeria.
2Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Nnewi campus, Anambra State, 
 
Research Article
World Journal of Advanced Research and Reviews, 2020, 07(02), 017-024
Article DOI: 10.30574/wjarr.2020.7.2.0272
 
Publication history: 
Received on 21 July 2020; revised on 05 August 2020; accepted on 06 August 2020
 
Abstract: 
Pregnancy is a biological process whereby complex cytokine networks play an important role especially in complications, such as threatened miscarriage. This study assessed the serum levels of pro (TNF-alpha and IL-2) and anti-inflammatory (IL-4 and IL-10) cytokines in threatened miscarriage in pregnant women within Owerri metropolis. A total of 140 women were recruited for this study; 60 pregnant test subjects, 40 pregnant subjects and 40 non-pregnant subjects as control groups. Serum levels of Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF) alpha, Interleukin-2 (IL-2), Interleukin-4 (IL-4) and Interleukin-10 (IL-10) were determined using Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay techniques. Data were expressed as median and analyzed using Mann-Whitney test and Kruskal Wallis test. Anthropometric data and others were obtained using standard methods. P values ≤0.05. Demographic studies showed that among the pregnant subjects, 79% are primigravida while 21% are multigravida. Among all the subjects, 18.6% were of the higher social class, 51.4% middle class and 30% lower class. The results showed a significant increase in the median values of the pro-and anti-inflammatory cytokines of the pregnant test subjects, when compared with the control groups (p<0.05). However, there is a significant increase in IL-4 (p<0.05) of the non-pregnant control subjects compared to the pregnant control subjects. Conclusively, the results showed severe increase in pro-inflammatory cytokines as well as moderate increase in the anti-inflammatory cytokines in the pregnant test group than the control groups. This could be used as biomarkers of threatened miscarriage.
 
Keywords: 
Pregnancy; Threatened miscarriage; Pro-inflammatory and Anti-inflammatory cytokines.
 
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