| Author |
 Topic  |
|
|
Caryn
Ask the Experienced Moderator
USA
7654 Posts |
 Posted - 10/02/2009 : 7:45:00 PM
|
These findings demonstrate that sustained maternal immune system activation via TLR3 during pregnancy causes PE-like symptoms in rats and suggest that viral infection during pregnancy may contribute to the development of PE.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19779466
Catherine works on this stuff. I think basically it's saying that anything that pisses off your immune system in pregnancy pisses off your immune system, and can therefore lead to preeclampsia, which is pretty much *defined* at this point as an ineluctably pissed-off immune system in pregnancy.
Hopefully Catherine will riff on this further. :-)
Information provided on this site is provided for informational purposes only and is not meant to substitute for the advice provided by your own physician or other medical professional. You should not use the information contained herein for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disorder, or prescribing any medication. The Preeclampsia Foundation presents all data as is, without any warranty of any kind, express or implied, and is not liable for its accuracy, for mistakes or omissions of any kind, nor for any loss or damage caused by a user's reliance on information obtained on the site. Professional opinions on this condition vary greatly. The Preeclampsia Foundation endorses no one course of treatment or "cure". |
|
|
Catherine
Director of Research Development
USA
3250 Posts |
Posted - 10/02/2009 : 9:32:13 PM
|
Uh... yes I do, in a somewhat peripheral sense.
Um, the disconnect for me here is that TLR3 specifically recognizes double stranded RNA which only occurs in nature in the context of certain (but not all) viruses. The poly I:C administered to the animals in these experiments is a synthetic compound that mimics viral RNA. So immune cells that carry this receptor become activated when the viral ligand sticks to it. Hence the authors' comment that viral infection during pregnancy could trigger preeclampsia.
I'd have thought that someone somewhere has looked quite exhaustively by now for some evidence for an infectious cause or trigger for preeclampsia..... |
Catherine
Mom to Finn, Lucy (preeclampsia and HELLP) and Chloe.
|
Edited by - Catherine on 10/02/2009 9:32:36 PM |
 |
|
|
Blythe
Ask the Experienced Moderator
USA
2081 Posts |
Posted - 10/03/2009 : 3:28:57 PM
|
I did a quick pubmed search - looks like there's a (small?) correlation, and this current study is looking at possible causal relationships?
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18166297
Maternal infection and risk of preeclampsia: systematic review and metaanalysis.
...Urinary tract infection and periodontal disease during pregnancy are associated with an increased risk of preeclampsia. More studies are required to verify this as well as to explore whether or not such relationships are causal and, if so, the mechanisms involved.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17577649
Association between maternal infections and preeclampsia: a systematic review of epidemiologic studies.
CONCLUSIONS: In our analysis, any infection (bacterial or viral) was associated with a two-fold higher risk of preeclampsia. This association may provide a potential explanation for preeclampsia-related inflammation. |
Heather - mom to
DS #1 - 7/18/03, 37 weeks - Mild PE, 5lbs, 8oz, 4 days in NICU
DS #2 - 8/11/06, 36 1/2 weeks, 6lbs, 14oz!!! Induced for diagnostic BP. No NICU!
DD #3 - 9/10/09, high bp at 33 1/2 weeks, induced at 37 weeks, 5 pounds, 12 ounces - healthy girl!
"Thank God for the internet - otherwise my children would be raised in a med school library" |
|
|
|
jgrumet
Junior Member
473 Posts |
Posted - 10/03/2009 : 11:40:44 PM
|
I always thought that even at implantation you have PE, but it doesn't show up until later...is that wrong?
What kind of a viral infection are they talking about? I know a lot of women said they had a bad illness with their PE pregnancy (such as swine flu), could that possibly be the trigger? |
Jamie (22)
Brian (26)
Aram 6/22/2008 born 33 weeks 5 days- HELLP class II
Adopting next baby 2010! |
|
|
|
my3tatertots
New Member
US
50 Posts |
Posted - 10/23/2009 : 5:25:43 PM
|
| That's interesting. I've had PIH/PE twice now but in my second pregnancy I developed it much earlier - 32 weeks vs 40 weeks. I also had a viral infection at 20 weeks with my second pregnancy that was dx'd and treated by my OB. I wonder if the strain on my immune system caused PE to show up earlier. Of course there was at least 10 weeks in between my viral infection and the start of PE so who knows. |
|
|
|
LisainNJ
Advanced Member
595 Posts |
Posted - 10/28/2009 : 7:57:35 PM
|
When I lost Francesca, the hospital had a cluster of three of us with preeclampsia at 20 weeks, one about ten days before and one a day or two later than me.
I was hit with one upper respiratory infection after another in that pregnancy, viral, bacterial sinus, viral - felt constantly sick and inflamed. Sucks that a little thing like that can contribute. |
LisainNJ
wife to Joseph
ds born 1988 (Asperger's syndrome), dd born 1991, ds born 1996, dd born 2002
and my babies in heaven Elizabeth miscarried 2000 d. 13 weeks, Therese miscarried 2001 d. 10 weeks, Francesca Marie, stillborn 9/1/2006, 20 weeks, PE/HELLP |
|
|
| |
Topic |
|
|
|
Chat | Profile
|
Register
|
Active Topics
|
Members
|
Search
|
FAQ
Toll-Like Receptor 3 Activation During Preg.
