Maternal serum interleukin-6, interleukin-8, tumor necrosis factor-α and interferon-γ in preterm labor

Abstract

Serum levels of interleukin-6, interleukin-8 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha were not increased in preterm labor compared to normal control women. There is doubt regarding the usefulness of maternal serum measurement of these cytokines for the detection of early fetal infection in preterm labor, but this needs further evaluation.

High Levels of Maternal Serum IL‐17 and Activin A in Pregnant Women Affected by Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

“…[44][45][46] Serum TNF-a concentrations in SLE were higher than in controls only outside pregnancy and in third trimester of pregnancy, confirming that lowest serum TNF-a concentrations are necessary to protect the fetus from its deleterious effects, which has been associated with preeclampsia, intrauterine growth retardation. 47,48 In conclusion, the present findings showed an increased cytokine profile in pregnant women with SLE, with high levels of Th17 and activin A suggesting a possible contribution of placenta to immune adaptation in the pregnant SLE women.…”

Inflammatory and Procoagulant Cytokine Levels During Pregnancy as Predictors of Adverse Obstetrical Complications

“…Despite the associations between cytokine changes and pathologic pregnancies that have been observed by this study and others, there is some uncertainty regarding the clinical usefulness of cytokines as biomarkers for early detection of pregnancy complications. 2,16,25,26 For example, Bahar et al 25 did not observe a significant difference in maternal serum IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-a in women in PTL versus normal control pregnancies (healthy preterm women not in labor and women in term labor), and the authors acknowledged that there is doubt regarding the usefulness of testing serum cytokine levels to identify early intrauterine or fetal infection in PTL. Several studies, including that by Bahar et al, 25 have assessed cytokine levels in symptomatic patients following the onset of labor.…”

“…2,16,25,26 For example, Bahar et al 25 did not observe a significant difference in maternal serum IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-a in women in PTL versus normal control pregnancies (healthy preterm women not in labor and women in term labor), and the authors acknowledged that there is doubt regarding the usefulness of testing serum cytokine levels to identify early intrauterine or fetal infection in PTL. Several studies, including that by Bahar et al, 25 have assessed cytokine levels in symptomatic patients following the onset of labor. 14,17 Similarly, cervicovaginal fetal fibronectin, currently one of the most valuable biomarkers for determining risk of preterm birth, is clinically used for its high negative predictive value when measured at the onset of PTL.…”

Pentraxin 3 in plasma and vaginal fluid in women with preterm delivery*

“…However, we have been unable to identify a temporal association between PTX3 elevation and PTD. As PTX3 levels become elevated for more than 7 days before PTD, PTX3 is not an indicator of advanced labour, unlike markers of infection such as TNFα, whose levels correlate with impending PTD 13 …”