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

Walles, John LU orcid ; Winqvist, Niclas LU ; Hansson, Stefan R. LU orcid ; Sturegård, Erik LU ; Baqir, Haitham ; Kjerstadius, Torbjörn ; Schön, Thomas and Björkman, Per LU orcid (2025) In Clinical Microbiology and Infection 31(8). p.1394-1397
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... (More)

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.

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author
; ; ; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Interferon-gamma, Latent tuberculosis infection, Preeclampsia, Pregnancy, Tuberculosis
in
Clinical Microbiology and Infection
volume
31
issue
8
pages
4 pages
publisher
Wiley-Blackwell
external identifiers
  • scopus:105005204363
  • pmid:40274232
ISSN
1198-743X
DOI
10.1016/j.cmi.2025.04.015
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
ef719293-e4b2-4589-b1db-1523b58cd84d
date added to LUP
2025-09-19 10:39:12
date last changed
2025-09-19 11:05:41
@article{ef719293-e4b2-4589-b1db-1523b58cd84d,
  abstract     = {{<p>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 &gt;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 &lt; 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 &lt; 0.001) and severe preeclampsia (10/159, 6.3%, OR, 5.46; 95% CI, 2.64–11.3; p &lt; 0.0001) was higher in women with MtbI and interferon-γ levels &gt;0.28 IU/mL, than in MtbI-negative women with interferon-γ levels &lt;0.28 IU/mL. Neither women with MtbI with interferon-γ levels &lt;0.28 IU/mL, nor MtbI-negative women with interferon-γ levels &gt;0.28 IU/mL, had increased odds of preeclampsia or severe preeclampsia compared to MtbI-negative women with interferon-γ levels &lt;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.</p>}},
  author       = {{Walles, John and Winqvist, Niclas and Hansson, Stefan R. and Sturegård, Erik and Baqir, Haitham and Kjerstadius, Torbjörn and Schön, Thomas and Björkman, Per}},
  issn         = {{1198-743X}},
  keywords     = {{Interferon-gamma; Latent tuberculosis infection; Preeclampsia; Pregnancy; Tuberculosis}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{8}},
  pages        = {{1394--1397}},
  publisher    = {{Wiley-Blackwell}},
  series       = {{Clinical Microbiology and Infection}},
  title        = {{Association between plasma interferon-γ levels and preeclampsia in pregnant women screened for tuberculosis infection}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cmi.2025.04.015}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.cmi.2025.04.015}},
  volume       = {{31}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}