High Level of Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF)-α is a Risk Factor for Preeclampsia

Abstract

Objective: To define that elevated TNF-α serum level was the risk factor of preeclampsia in pregnancy. Method: This research is a case-control study. From 56 pregnant women, there are 28 women with preeclampsia and the other 28 women with normal pregnancy. Then the serum level of TNF-α was obtained at Prodia’s clinical Laboratory Denpasar. Data’s normality test was done with Kolmogorov-Smirnov, then an analysis of data was done with Independent Sample Test, predictive value a = 0.05. To define the role of TNF-α level in preeclampsia, Chi-Square test was chosen. Result: From this research we found the average level of TNF-α in preeclampsia (6.64 ± 7.64 pg/ml) was higher than in normal pregnancy (2.42 ± 1.77 pg/ml). Analysis with t-independent test shows that the t-value was 2.85 and p-value was 0.006, which means that the average level of TNF-α between the two group was significantly different (with predictive value, p<0.05). Based on cut-off value 2.42 pg/ml, the relative risk for preeclampsia was six time (RO = 6.33, IK 95%=1.97-20.34, p = 0.001) in patient with TNF-α level greater than 2.42 pg/ml. Conclusion: TNF-α level in preeclampsia was significantly different with TNF-α level in normal pregnancy and the elevated serum level of TNF-α in pregnancy could be one of the risk for preeclampsia. [Indones J Obstet Gynecol 2012; 36-3: 107-11] Keywords: normal pregnancy, preeclampsia, TNF-α