Urinary excretion of nephrin in patients with severe preeclampsia. Urinary nephrin in preeclampsia

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to examine whether nephrin is present in the urine of patients with severe preeclampsia.

METHODS: A total of 45 women were recruited for this study, and 25 of these patients had severe preeclampsia. Twenty gestational age-matched normotensive women without proteinuria served as a control group. Urine samples were collected close to delivery, typically ≤24 h before delivery. Western blot analysis was performed to assess the excretion of nephrin in urine.

RESULTS: Nephrin was detected in all urine samples from all the women with severe preeclampsia but not in urine from normotensive controls.

CONCLUSION: In pregnancy complicated by severe preeclampsia, urinary nephrin shedding, reflecting the damage in the glomerular slit diaphragm, was observed.