Biomarker Predicts Preeclampsia Development Early As Six Weeks

A new biomarker may help predict the development of preeclampsia as early as six weeks into pregnancy, according to a recent study.

Researchers found that when targeting copeptin--a byproduct of the protein arginine vasopressin (AVP) that they believe is involved in initiating preeclampsia--they could target a pathway to treat and even potentially prevent the health problem. 

Preeclampsia is characterized by high blood pressure and can cause heart defections in newborns, according to the Mayo Clinic, with symptoms ranging from excess protein in the urine to severe headaches, problems with vision, upper abdominal pain to nausea and vomiting. The problem can pose serious complications for the mother and baby, including reduced growth of the baby; stroke, seizure and multi-organ failure in the mother; or even death of the mother or child, in some cases. 

During the study, which was conducted at the University of Iowa, researchers found that pregnant mice that were given AVP throughout pregnancy showed all the cardiovascular, kidney, obstetrics and immune components of human preeclampsia. This data suggests that AVP is involved in greating preeclampsia, researchers say. 

"Clinically, this timeframe is the earliest a woman can find out if she is pregnant by an over-the-counter pregnancy test. A similar simple test could be developed to predict preeclampsia via copeptin," said said Subhash Kaul, D.M., senior investigator and developer of the stroke registry at Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS) in Hyderabad, India, in a news release. 

The findings will be presented at Cardiovascular, Renal and Metabolic Diseases: Physiology and Gender.

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