Urinary Excretion of Nephrin in Patients with Severe 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.

• Urinary nephrin
• Severe preeclampsia