Assessment of Urinary Podocalyxin as a Novel Biomarker for the Diagnosis of Decidual Vasculopathy in Preeclampsia: a Case-Control Study

Abstract

Background: Preeclampsia is a hypertension-related disorder in pregnancy that increases the risk of maternal and fetal mortality and morbidity. The incidence is estimated to be 10% globally. Pre-eclampsia is thought to develop as a result of decidual vasculopathy (DV), which is characterized by aberrant remodeling of uterine spiral arteries. The risk factors and pathophysiology of preeclampsia are well established; however, reliable biomarkers that can help with the early detection of high-risk individuals are currently needed. We aimed to assess podocalyxin as a potential biomarker of decidual vasculopathy. Methodology: 18 pregnant women with preeclampsia and 2 controls were recruited. H&E Staining and Immunohistochemistry were performed on paraffin-block placenta tissues that were obtained from 8 cases and 1 control. Results: All participants were in their third trimester of gestation. Poor remodeling of the decidual vasculature, evidenced by hypertrophy of the tunica media and deranged endothelium, was observed in the case group as compared with the control group. Immunohistochemistry showed strong staining in the placenta tissues of the case group but mild staining for the control group. Conclusion: The histological evidence of aberrant vascular remodeling in the case group correlated with strong immunohistochemical staining for podocalyxin.