Identification of Interleukin-1 Beta, but No Other Inflammatory Proteins, As an Early Onset Pre-eclampsia Biomarker in First Trimester Serum by Bead-based Multiplexed Immunoassays

Objective: This study aimed to determine the predictive value of growth factors, cardiovascular, and immunological markers for first trimester identification of early onset pre-eclampsia (PE).

Methods: In a retrospective case-control study, maternal serum samples of 35 early onset PE cases and 35 controls were analysed by multiplexed immunoassays, to determine serum concentrations of 41 proteins whose functionality can be associated with PE pathogenesis. All levels were converted into multiples of the gestation-specific normal median. For prediction modelling, proteins that were found to be significant were combined with previously obtained values of three established PE markers, that is, placental growth factor, placental protein 13, and pregnancy-associated plasma protein A. Prediction modelling was used to determine predicted detection rates for 5% and 10% false-positive rates.

Results: Three of the proteins examined in this study, interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β), fibrinogen, and carcinoembryonic antigen, showed significantly different serum levels at p < 0.05. In prediction modelling, only IL-1β added predictive value to the three previously established biomarkers, by increasing detection from 38.2% to 44.1% at a 5% false-positive rate.

Conclusions: This study indicates that IL-1β has potential to improve first trimester prediction of pre-eclampsia. Studies on larger cohorts will be needed to validate these findings.