Interleukin-1ß elevation during the postpartum period

Abstract

During the postpartum period, women frequently report increased fatigue, which, if severe, may interfere with maternal-child bonding, delay a new mother's return to her activities of daily living, and contribute to depression. Several studies have sought to determine psychosocial contributions to fatigue during the postpartum period, but few evaluate any physiological changes that may contribute to fatigue during this time. The following study was designed to test whether the potent, pro-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta), known to be a physiological mediator of fatigue in several clinical and experimental conditions, is elevated in women during the postpartum period and whether it might be related to symptoms of fatigue. Levels of fatigue and the urinary excretion of IL-1beta were measured in 26 women over 4 weeks postpartum. Correlations between fatigue and activation of the inflammatory response were investigated. Results demonstrated a significant elevation in IL-1beta during the postpartum period compared to control participants (p < .05) and a significant, although delayed, correlation between IL-1beta elevation and fatigue (p < .05). These results suggest that activation of the inflammatory response, as reflected by elevation in urinary IL-1beta, occurs in association with postpartum fatigue. Studies to explore further this association and to identify specific mechanisms of action are needed.

A new paradigm for depression in new mothers: the central role of inflammation and how breastfeeding and anti-inflammatory treatments protect maternal mental health

“…Another study examined the role of the proinflammatory cytokine IL-1β in postpartum women [26]. The researchers found that higher levels of IL-1β were related to fatigue in women at four weeks postpartum.…”

“…The researchers found that higher levels of IL-1β were related to fatigue in women at four weeks postpartum. The authors speculated that IL-1β may have an indirect link to postpartum depression through fatigue [26]. Sleep deprivation is also a stressor that both activates the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and increases cytokine release in response [27].…”

A Comparison of Mediterranean-Style and MyPyramid Diets on Weight Loss and Inflammatory Biomarkers in Postpartum Breastfeeding Women

“…9 Increases in prepregnancy weight from one pregnancy to the next are associated with greater weight retention, 10 an important predictor of long-term obesity. 9 Additionally, the early postpartum period has been associated with an upregulation of inflammatory cytokines, 11,12 likely as a well-controlled, protective, biologic response to the stress of parturition 13 and uterine involution. 14 Although the exact magnitude and length of this upregulated state are unclear, previous research examining lymphocytes from breastfeeding mothers in ex vivo cell cultures demonstrated an increased production of proinflammatory Th1 cytokines in breastfeeding women compared with formulafeeding women and nonpostpartum controls.…”

Urinary interleukin-1ß levels among gynecological patients

“…The data in this study are derived from a small pilot study, but is representative of our institutional clinical practice in regard to OC histology and stage distribution as well as published pilot studies examining IL-1β in urine, serum, and plasma [17,56,[58][59][60][61] and other clinically relevant pilot studies [62][63][64][65][66]. A normal baseline value for urinary IL-1β in women has not yet been established in the literature [67].…”