Work

Association between plasma interferon-γ levels and preeclampsia in pregnant women screened for tuberculosis infection

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: OBJECTIVES: Pregnancy can influence immune control of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection (MtbI). We recently reported an association between MtbI and pregnancy complications, particularly severe preeclampsia, in a registry-based cohort of women originating in tuberculosis-endemic countries screened for MtbI in Swedish antenatal care, implying a potential role of MtbI for the development of preeclampsia. Here, we aimed to investigate the role of plasma interferon-γ secretion as a potential mediator of this interaction. METHODS: Plasma interferon-γ levels were compared with women with MtbI (defined as positive QuantiFERON results in the absence of tuberculosis) and MtbI-negative women regarding any diagnosis of preeclampsia and severe preeclampsia. Odds of preeclampsia and severe preeclampsia were compared with respect to MtbI status and interferon-γ levels >90th percentile in the study population (0.28 IU/mL). RESULTS: MtbI was detected in 700 of 3605 women (19.4%) and preeclampsia was diagnosed in 110 (3.1%), among whom 50 (1.4%) had severe preeclampsia. Women with MtbI had higher interferon-γ levels than MtbI-negative women (median 0.12 IU/mL, interquartile range [IQR], 0.06-0.26 IU/mL; vs. 0.07 IU/mL, IQR 0.04-0.12 IU/mL; p < 0.001). The prevalence of preeclampsia of any grade (13/159, 8.2%, odds ratio [OR], 2.79; 95% CI, 1.52-5.12; p < 0.001) and severe preeclampsia (10/159, 6.3%, OR, 5.46; 95% CI, 2.64-11.3; p < 0.0001) was higher in women with MtbI and interferon-γ levels >0.28 IU/mL, than in MtbI-negative women with interferon-γ levels <0.28 IU/mL. Neither women with MtbI with interferon-γ levels <0.28 IU/mL, nor MtbI-negative women with interferon-γ levels >0.28 IU/mL, had increased odds of preeclampsia or severe preeclampsia compared to MtbI-negative women with interferon-γ levels <0.28 IU/mL. DISCUSSION: These findings suggest that interferon-γ secretion could be involved as a mediator in the association between MtbI and development of preeclampsia.

Source: Clinical Microbiology and Infection

DOI: 10.1016/j.cmi.2025.04.015