Jean-claude Forest - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Jean-claude Forest

Research paper thumbnail of Increased immunohistochemical expression of neutral metalloendopeptidase (enkephalinase; EC 3.4.24.11) in villi of the human placenta with pre-eclampsia

International Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics, 1996

YKL-40 has been identified as a growth factor in connective tissue cells and also a migration fac... more YKL-40 has been identified as a growth factor in connective tissue cells and also a migration factor in vascular smooth muscle cells. To a large extent, the increase of serum YKL-40 is attributed to liver fibrosis and asthma. However, the relationship of the expression and clinical/prognostic significance of YKL-40 to the splenomegaly of patients with portal hypertension is unclear. In the present study, the expression of YKL-40 was studied by immunohistochemistry in 48 splenomegaly tissue samples from patients with portal hypertension and in 14 normal spleen specimens. All specimens were quickly stored at-80°C after resection. Primary antibodies YKL-40 (1:150 dilution, rabbit polyclonal IgG) and MMP-9 (1:200 dilution, rabbit monoclonal IgG) and antirabbit immunoglobulins (HRP K4010) were used in this study. The relationship of clinicopathologic features with YKL-40 is presented. The expression of YKL-40 indicated by increased immunochemical reactivity was significantly up-regulated in splenomegaly tissues compared to normal spleen tissues. Overexpression of YKL-40 was found in 68.8% of splenomegaly tissues and was significantly associated with Child-Pugh classification (P = 0.000), free portal pressure (correlation coefficient = 0.499, P < 0.01) and spleen fibrosis (correlation coefficient = 0.857, P < 0.01). Further study showed a significant correlation between YKL-40 and MMP-9 (correlation coefficient =-0.839, P < 0.01), indicating that YKL-40 might be an accelerator of spleen tissue remodeling by inhibiting the expression of MMP-9. In conclusion, YKL-40 is an important factor involved in the remodeling of spleen tissue of portal hypertension patients and can be used as a therapeutic target for splenomegaly.

Research paper thumbnail of Sex-specific association of high maternal psychological stress during pregnancy on newborn birthweight

PLOS ONE, 2022

Birthweight is an important predictor of newborn health and has been linked to maternal psycholog... more Birthweight is an important predictor of newborn health and has been linked to maternal psychological stress during pregnancy. However, it is unclear whether prenatal stress affects birthweight similarly for both male and female infants. We used a well-established pregnancy cohort to investigate the impact of high maternal psychological stress during pregnancy on birthweight as a function of infant sex. Overall, 5702 mother-newborn pairs were analysed. Of these, 198 mothers reported high levels of stress using the Psychological Stress Measure (nine-items version; PSM-9). Maternal psychological stress was assessed between the 24th and 28th week of gestation and analyses were performed jointly and independently as a function of neonatal sex (separate analyses for male and female infants). Newborns exposed to high maternal psychological stress during pregnancy (a score above 26 measured using the PSM-9 questionnaire, corresponding to >97.5th percentile) were compared to newborns of ...

Research paper thumbnail of Associations entre le stress maternel prénatal, l’âge gestationnel et le poids à la naissance du bébé

Développement social et émotionnel chez l'enfant et l'adolescent, tome 1, 2012

Research paper thumbnail of Proteomic Analysis of Maternal Urine for the Early Detection of Preeclampsia and Fetal Growth Restriction

Journal of Clinical Medicine, 2021

Background: To explore the use of maternal urine proteome for the identification of preeclampsia ... more Background: To explore the use of maternal urine proteome for the identification of preeclampsia biomarkers. Methods: Maternal urine samples from women with and without preeclampsia were used for protein discovery followed by a validation study. The targeted proteins of interest were then measured in urine samples collected at 20–24 and 30–34 weeks among nine women who developed preeclampsia, one woman with fetal growth restriction, and 20 women with uncomplicated pregnancies from a longitudinal study. Protein identification and quantification was obtained using liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS). Results: Among the 1108 urine proteins quantified in the discovery study, 21 were upregulated in preeclampsia and selected for validation. Nineteen (90%) proteins were confirmed as upregulated in preeclampsia cases. Among them, two proteins, ceruloplasmin and serpin A7, were upregulated at 20–24 weeks and 30–34 weeks of gestation (p < 0.05) in cases of preeclampsi...

Research paper thumbnail of Association of Maternal Weight and Gestational Weight Gain with Maternal and Neonate Outcomes: A Prospective Cohort Study

Journal of Clinical Medicine, 2019

We investigated the association of outcomes with pre-pregnancy body mass index (ppBMI), Institute... more We investigated the association of outcomes with pre-pregnancy body mass index (ppBMI), Institute of Medicine (IOM) recommendations about gestational weight gain, and weight gain trajectories during pregnancy. A prospective cohort of 7866 pregnant women was recruited. ppBMI and weight gain at each follow up visit were collected. The outcomes were gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP), caesarean delivery, macrosomia, small (SGA) and large (LGA) for gestational age, neonatal hypoglycemia. Group-based multi-trajectory modelling was used for weight kinetics during pregnancy. In the third trimester, 53.8% of women were above IOM recommendations, with an increased relative risk (RR) of HDP (1.91 (1.40–2.61)), caesarean (1.34 (1.15–1.56)), macrosomia (2.17 (1.77–2.67)), LGA (2.26 (1.83–2.80)), and hypoglycemia (1.89 (1.12–3.18)). Women with a weight gain above IOM recommendations in the second trimester who normalized their weight gain in third trim...

Research paper thumbnail of Impact of maternal prenatal psychological stress on birth weight

Health Psychology, 2020

Objective: The study aimed to evaluate the impact of prenatal maternal stress on birth weight usi... more Objective: The study aimed to evaluate the impact of prenatal maternal stress on birth weight using a large cohort of predominantly Caucasian women living in an urban area. Method: Women were recruited between 2005 and 2010. Data collection took place between the 24th and the 28th week of gestation. The Measure of Psychological Stress (MSP-9), a validated tool to assess stress symptoms, was used to collect data on prenatal maternal stress (independent variable). Birth weight (dependent variable) was classified as low birth weight (LBW; 2,500 g), normal birth weight (NBW; 2,500-4,000 g), and macrosomia (>4,000 g). Adjusted odd ratios (aOR) were obtained after performing multivariate logistic regressions adjusted for potential cofounders. At the final stage, 5,721 women were included in analysis. Results: When compared with women experiencing low stress, participants with high-stress scores were at increased risk of delivering an infant with LBW before adjustment [OR = 2.06, 95% CI (1.04-4.09)], but, after adjustment, only a nonsignificant trend remained. However, women experiencing intermediate and high levels of stress were at increased risk of delivering a baby with macrosomia, even after adjustment [aOR = 1.23 ; 95% CI (1.02-1.49)] and [aOR = 1.76 ; 95% CI (1.11-2.77)] compared to those who scored low on the psychological stress scale. Conclusion: Women exposed to high self-reported psychological stress during second trimester (24 th to 28 th weeks) of pregnancy have a 1.7-fold increased risk for delivering a baby with macrosomia when compared to women exposed to low psychological stress.

Research paper thumbnail of Risk Factors and Outcomes of Preterm Premature Rupture of Membranes in a Cohort of 6968 Pregnant Women Prospectively Recruited

Journal of Clinical Medicine, 2019

We revisited risk factors and outcomes related to the preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPR... more We revisited risk factors and outcomes related to the preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM). A total of 7866 pregnant women were recruited during 5 years at their first prenatal visit to the perinatal clinic of the institution. We compared three groups (women without prematurity, women with spontaneous preterm labor with intact membranes (sPL with IM), women with PPROM) regarding 60 criteria about characteristics, lifestyle, medical, gynecological, obstetrical history of mothers, medication during pregnancy, events at delivery, and complications in neonates. Logistic regression analyses adjusting for potential confounding factors were used. Of the 6968 women selected, 189 (2.8%) presented a PPROM, and 225 (3.2%) an sPL with IM. The specific risk factors for PPROM were body mass index (BMI) <18.5 kg/m2 (adjusted odds ratio, aOR: 2.00 (1.09–3.67)), history of PPROM (aOR: 2.75 (1.19–6.36)), nulliparity (aOR: 2.52 (1.77–3.60)), gestational diabetes (aOR: 1.87 (1.16–2.99)), a...

Research paper thumbnail of Cord blood S100B: reference ranges and interest for early identification of newborns with brain injury

Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (CCLM), 2019

BackgroundNeurological complications are common in the premature and full-term neonates admitted ... more BackgroundNeurological complications are common in the premature and full-term neonates admitted to the intensive care unit, but the diagnosis of these complications is often difficult to make. S100B protein, measured in cord blood, may represent a valuable tool to better identify patients at risk of brain injury.MethodsAs a first step, we established S100B cord blood serum reference intervals from 183 preterm and 200 full-term neonates. We then measured cord blood serum S100B to identify neurological complications in 272 neonates hospitalized at the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Diagnosis of brain injury relied on imaging examination.ResultsThe 95th percentiles of S100B concentration in cord blood were established as 1.21 μg/L for the 383 neonates, 0.96 μg/L for full-term neonates and 1.36 μg/L for premature neonates. Among the 272 neonates hospitalized at the NICU, 11 presented neurological complications. Using 1.27 μg/L as the optimal sensitivity/specificity threshold, S10...

Research paper thumbnail of Use of antidepressants and anxiolytics in early pregnancy and the risk of preeclampsia and gestational hypertension: a prospective study

BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, 2019

Background: We investigated the association between antidepressant and anxiolytic exposure during... more Background: We investigated the association between antidepressant and anxiolytic exposure during the first and early second trimester of pregnancy (< 16 weeks), and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (including preeclampsia and gestational hypertension) in women with singleton pregnancy. Methods: This study is based on a large prospective cohort of 7866 pregnant women. We included pregnant women aged 18 years or older without chronic hepatic or renal disease at the time of recruitment. Participants lost to the follow-up, with multiple pregnancies and pregnancy terminations, miscarriages or fetal deaths before 20 weeks of gestation were excluded from the study, as well as women with no data on the antidepressant/ anxiolytic medication use during pregnancy. Information concerning antidepressant or anxiolytic medication use was extracted from hospital records after delivery. The associations between their use and the risk of gestational hypertension or preeclampsia were calculated. Results: The final sample for analysis included 6761 participants including 218 (3.2%) women who were exposed to antidepressant and/or anxiolytic medication before the 16th week of gestation. Forty-one women had a nonmedicated depression or anxiety during the pregnancy. Moreover, 195 (2.9%) and 122 (1.8%) women developed gestational hypertension and preeclampsia respectively. When compared to women unexposed to antidepressant/ anxiolytic medication, depression and anxiety, those using antidepressant and/or anxiolytic drugs before the 16th week of gestation were at increased risk of preeclampsia (adjusted odd ratio (aOR) 3.09 [CI 95% 1.56-6.12]), especially if they continued their medication after the 16th week (aOR 3.41 [CI 95% 1.66-7.02]) compared to those who did not (1.60 [CI 95% 0.21-12.34]). Conclusions: Women exposed to antidepressant and/or anxiolytic medication before the 16th week of pregnancy have a 3-fold increased risk for preeclampsia when compared to women unexposed to antidepressant/anxiolytic medication, depression and anxiety. Also, our results suggested that women who stopped their medication before the 16th week of pregnancy could be benefit from reduced preeclampsia risk.

Research paper thumbnail of Determinants of vitamin D status in pregnant women and neonates

Canadian journal of public health = Revue canadienne de sante publique, Dec 27, 2016

Evidence suggests a beneficial effect of vitamin D on perinatal health; however, low vitamin D st... more Evidence suggests a beneficial effect of vitamin D on perinatal health; however, low vitamin D status is prevalent in pregnant women and neonates. The objective was to determine factors that are associated with vitamin D status of mothers in early pregnancy and neonates. The study comprised 1,635 pregnant women from Quebec City and Halifax, Canada, 2002-2010. Vitamin D status was based on the concentration of 25-hydroxy-vitamin D [25(OH)D] determined with a chemiluminescence immunoassay in maternal sera collected at a median of 15 weeks' gestation and in neonatal cord sera at delivery. A questionnaire with information on potential determinants was completed midpregnancy. A total of 44.8% of mothers and 24.4% of neonates had 25(OH)D concentrations <50 nmol/L. Adjusted mean (95% confidence interval) maternal 25(OH)D levels were higher in summer than in winter by 16.1 nmol/L (13.6-18.7), and in those in the highest versus the lowest category of education by 6.1 nmol/L (0.5-11.8)...

Research paper thumbnail of Reproducibility of First Trimester Three-dimensional Placental Measurements in the Evaluation of Early Placental Insufficiency

Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Canada, 2009

Objective: To evaluate the reproducibility of first-trimester, three-dimensional placental volume... more Objective: To evaluate the reproducibility of first-trimester, three-dimensional placental volume and vasculature evaluation by ultrasound in correlation with uterine artery Doppler flow studies. Method: We performed a prospective study of a cohort of pregnant women undergoing first-trimester ultrasound examination. Uterine artery Doppler and 3-D power Doppler angiography was performed. Placental volume, vascularization index (VI), flow index (FI), and vascularization flow index (VFI) were calculated three times by two independent observers using the virtual organ computer-aided analysis (VOCAL) software. Intra-and interobserver reproducibility was evaluated by Spearman's correlation test. All parameters between women with low (< 1.5 multiple of median) (MoM) and high (> 1.5 MoM) uterine artery Pourcelot index (PI) were compared by the Mann-Whitney test. Results: A total of 35 women between 11 and 14 weeks' gestation were recruited, including 26 who underwent uterine artery Doppler and six with elevated uterine artery PI. We found excellent intraand interobserver reproducibility (R 2 > 0.85) for all parameters. Women with elevated uterine artery PI had smaller placental volume, VI, FI, and VFI (P < 0.05). Conclusion: 3-D placental volume and vasculature evaluations during the first trimester are reproducible measures that inversely correlate with uterine artery PI.

Research paper thumbnail of Maternal prenatal stress and infant birth weight and gestational age: A meta-analysis of prospective studies

Developmental Review, 2015

A provider accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the ... more A provider accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Academy is dedicated to providing continuing medical education that is independent, fair, balanced, objective, and free of commercial bias. The Board of Directors requires that all abstract authors faculty comply with all applicable laws and regulations governing disclosure. All poster abstract authors are expected to disclose to their audience all financial or other relationships with a commercial interest. A commercial interest, as defined by the ACCME, is any entity producing, marketing, reselling, or distributing health care goods or services consumed by, or used on, patients. Scientific session faculty are also required to know and disclose to their audiences the US Food and Drug Administraion approval status of all medical devices and pharmaceuticals for the uses discussed, described, or demonstrated in their presentations. Any relationship with a commercial interest must be disclosed if it will be discussed in the poster presentation. If no relationships exist, the author(s) must state that no financial relationships exist with commercial interests. Authors must disclose regardless of whether an actual conflict exists.

Research paper thumbnail of Acetylsalicylic acid for the prevention of preeclampsia and intra-uterine growth restriction in women with abnormal uterine artery Doppler: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Journal of obstetrics and gynaecology Canada : JOGC = Journal d'obstétrique et gynécologie du Canada : JOGC, 2009

Preeclampsia is a major global cause of maternal, neonatal and perinatal mortality. From studies ... more Preeclampsia is a major global cause of maternal, neonatal and perinatal mortality. From studies of placental pathophysiology in women with preeclampsia, a potentially important role of low-dose acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) in the prevention of preeclampsia was expected, but the results from clinical trials have been disappointing. While recent evidence has shown that uterine Doppler can predict preeclampsia as early as in the first trimester of pregnancy, most clinical trials have evaluated ASA in the second and third trimesters. We performed a meta-analysis to assess the influence of gestational age at the time of introduction of ASA on the incidence of preeclampsia in women at increased risk, on the basis of abnormal uterine artery Doppler. Computerized searches of randomized controlled trials were conducted to retrieve studies in which pregnant women at increased risk of preeclampsia had been identified on the basis of abnormal uterine Doppler measurements. The trials compared wom...

Research paper thumbnail of Modulation of Apolipoprotein D levels in human pregnancy and association with gestational weight gain

Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology, 2009

Background Apolipoprotein D (ApoD) is a lipocalin involved in several processes including lipid t... more Background Apolipoprotein D (ApoD) is a lipocalin involved in several processes including lipid transport, but its modulation during human pregnancy was never examined. Methods We investigated the changes in the levels of ApoD in the plasma of pregnant women at the two first trimesters of gestation and at delivery as well as in the placenta and in venous cord blood. These changes were studied in 151 women classified into 9 groups in relation to their prepregnancy body mass index (BMI) and gestational weight gain (GWG). Results Plasma ApoD levels decrease significantly during normal uncomplicated pregnancy. ApoD is further decreased in women with excessive GWG and their newborns. In these women, the ApoD concentration was tightly associated with the lipid parameters. However, the similar ApoD levels in low cholesterol (LC) and high cholesterol (HC) women suggest that the plasma ApoD variation is not cholesterol dependant. A tight regulation of both placental ApoD transcription and pr...

Research paper thumbnail of Modulation of placental protein expression of OLR1: implication in pregnancy-related disorders or pathologies

REPRODUCTION, 2008

The lectin-like oxidized low-density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor-1 (OLR1) is a newly described rec... more The lectin-like oxidized low-density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor-1 (OLR1) is a newly described receptor for oxidatively modified LDL. The human pregnancy is associated with hyperlipidemia and oxidative stress. It has been reported that modification in maternal lipid profile can induce disturbance during pregnancy. In this study, we have evaluated the expression protein level of OLR1 in human term placenta of women having plasma cholesterol level lower to 7 mM or higher to 8 mM and women of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) by western blot analysis. The present study demonstrates that the maternal lipid profile is associated with placental protein expression of OLR1. A significant increase in the protein expression of OLR1 was observed in placenta of women with elevated plasmatic total cholesterol level (>8 mM). In addition, the placental protein expression of OLR1 is increased in mothers having the highest pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) and low (<7 mM) plasmatic total ch...

Research paper thumbnail of Early Occurrence of Metabolic Syndrome After Hypertension in Pregnancy

Obstetrics & Gynecology, 2005

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the cardiovascular risk profile and the preval... more The objective of the present study was to evaluate the cardiovascular risk profile and the prevalence of metabolic syndrome among women with a history of pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH). From a cohort of 3,799 nulliparous women prospectively recruited between 1989 and 1997, we performed an observational study on 168 case-control pairs 7.8 years after delivery. Participants were scheduled for a visit with a research nurse to evaluate their cardiovascular risk profile using a questionnaire, anthropometric measurements and blood specimen analysis. One hundred sixty-eight women with prior PIH (105 with gestational hypertension and 63 with preeclampsia) and 168 controls matched for age and year of index delivery were evaluated. The women with PIH (34.6 +/- 4.4 years) were more obese and had higher systolic (115 mm Hg versus 108 mm Hg) and diastolic (75 mm Hg versus 70 mm Hg) blood pressures (P &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt; .001) than the 168 controls (35.1 +/- 4.5 years). They had lower high-density lipoprotein cholesterol level (1.30 mmol/L versus 1.42 mmol/L; P &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt; .001), increased fasting blood glucose concentration (5.2 mmol/L versus 5.0 mmol/L; P = .002), and higher insulin levels (119 versus 91 pmol/L; P &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt; .001). The prevalence of the metabolic syndrome was higher in the PIH group (unadjusted odds ratio = 4.9; 95% confidence interval 2.1-10.9) compared with controls, even after adjustment for confounders (adjusted odds ratio = 3.6; 95% confidence interval 1.4 -9.0). In white women in their mid-30s, the prevalence of the metabolic syndrome is 3- to 5-fold increased in those with a history of PIH in their first pregnancy. This emphasizes the importance of long-term follow-up assessment for cardiovascular risk factors in these women.

Research paper thumbnail of The combination of ApoCIII, hepatic lipase and hormono sensitive lipase gene polymorphisms suggests an association with susceptibility to gestational hypertension

Journal of Human Genetics, 2007

Dyslipidemia and insulin resistance contribute to the endothelial cell dysfunction in hypertensiv... more Dyslipidemia and insulin resistance contribute to the endothelial cell dysfunction in hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) and increase the long-term risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). The genes linking susceptibility to gestational hypertension (GH) and/or preeclampsia (PE) to the long-term risk of CVD are still unknown. We evaluated the potential association between 14 polymorphisms from six genes involved in lipid metabolism and insulin action and the risk of HDP: namely the lipoprotein lipase (LPL), hepatic lipase (LIPC), hormone sensitive lipase (LIPE), cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP), ApoCIII and ApoE gene polymorphisms. Overall, 169 women with HDP [proteinuria (PE) and gestational hypertension without proteinuria (GH)] and 169 controls matched for age and year of delivery were genotyped. Homozygosity of the-514T allele of the-514C > T polymorphism (LIPC gene) decreased the risk of GH (OR = 0.17, CI 95 : 0.02-0.76), while there were more-60G carriers of the-60C > G LIPE gene polymorphism (OR = 3.51, CI 95 :1.02-12.10) among GH cases, but not in PE cases. The common ApoCIII two-locus-482CC/3238CC genotype was lower in women with GH compared with controls (OR = 0.53, CI 95 : 0.3-0.9). The combined frequency of at-risk genotypes was higher in cases of GH compared with controls [one at-risk genotype: OR = 3.38 (95% CI: 0.48-41.8); two or more at-risk genotypes: OR = 7.14 (95% CI: 1.21-92.3, P = 0.01)], suggesting a gene-dose effect. We conclude that the combined effect of LIPC, LIPE and ApoCIII gene polymorphisms may increase the likelihood of GH, but seemingly not of PE.

Research paper thumbnail of Alteration of calcium homeostasis in primary preeclamptic syncytiotrophoblasts: effect on calcium exchange in placenta

Journal of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, 2010

Preeclampsia (PE) represents a major factor for maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality [1... more Preeclampsia (PE) represents a major factor for maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality [1] and it affects 7-10% of pregnancies worldwide [2]. PE is characterized by maternal syndromes such as gestational hypertension, proteinuria, oedema and foetal syndromes like reduced amniotic fluid, abnormal oxygenation and, in 30% of cases, intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR). The precise factors involved in the pathogenesis of PE remain unclear and it is considered as a multisystem disorder [1]. PE is principally characterized by impaired placentation and would be the result of an impaired differentiation of villous trophoblasts, which leads to an abnormal remodelling of the spiral arteries [3]. Diabetes, obesity, hypertension, renal disease, primiparity, maternal age, sperm and oocyte donation are all known predisposing factors for PE [1]. The oxidative stress, resulting from deficient remodelling of spiral arteries, is an important consequence of PE. It induces the placenta

Research paper thumbnail of A Positive Correlation between Hydrogen Peroxide and Soluble TNF-Alpha Receptor 2 Early in Maternal Blood and At Term in Placenta of Pregnant Women with Preeclampsia

Hypertension in Pregnancy, 2012

We hypothesized that hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) and soluble TNF-α receptor 2 (sTNF-R2) co-play ... more We hypothesized that hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) and soluble TNF-α receptor 2 (sTNF-R2) co-play a role in the pathogenesis of preeclampsia. Correlation of H(2)O(2) and sTNF-R2 was assessed in vivo in maternal blood and placenta, and in vitro in cytotrophoblasts culture. We showed a positive correlation between increased levels of H(2)O(2) and sTNF-R2 early at 10-15 gestational weeks and at term in maternal serum, and in placenta of women with preeclampsia. Our in vitro experiments showed that H(2)O(2) induced the placental synthesis of sTNF-R2. We propose to consider H(2)O(2) and sTNF-R2 as potential biomarkers in predicting preeclampsia.

Research paper thumbnail of Previous Hypertensive Disease of Pregnancy Is Associated With Alterations of Markers of Insulin Resistance

Hypertension, 2007

Insulin resistance syndrome has been observed in women with hypertensive disease of pregnancy, bu... more Insulin resistance syndrome has been observed in women with hypertensive disease of pregnancy, but few studies evaluated the presence of the syndrome a few years after delivery. The objective of this study was to evaluate the presence of insulin resistance and its metabolic alterations in these women compared with those who had a normal pregnancy. We performed an observational study in 168 women with previous hypertensive disease of pregnancy and 168 control subjects with normal pregnancy contacted, on average, 7.8 years after their first delivery (mean age: 34.8 years). Complete blood lipid profile, insulin, glucose, homocysteine, adipokins, and markers of inflammation were measured. Also, an oral glucose tolerance test was performed in 146 case and 135 control subjects. Case subjects were more overweight compared with control subjects. We found significantly lower high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and adiponectin levels and higher apolipoprotein (apo) apoB/apoA1 ratio, homocyst...

Research paper thumbnail of Increased immunohistochemical expression of neutral metalloendopeptidase (enkephalinase; EC 3.4.24.11) in villi of the human placenta with pre-eclampsia

International Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics, 1996

YKL-40 has been identified as a growth factor in connective tissue cells and also a migration fac... more YKL-40 has been identified as a growth factor in connective tissue cells and also a migration factor in vascular smooth muscle cells. To a large extent, the increase of serum YKL-40 is attributed to liver fibrosis and asthma. However, the relationship of the expression and clinical/prognostic significance of YKL-40 to the splenomegaly of patients with portal hypertension is unclear. In the present study, the expression of YKL-40 was studied by immunohistochemistry in 48 splenomegaly tissue samples from patients with portal hypertension and in 14 normal spleen specimens. All specimens were quickly stored at-80°C after resection. Primary antibodies YKL-40 (1:150 dilution, rabbit polyclonal IgG) and MMP-9 (1:200 dilution, rabbit monoclonal IgG) and antirabbit immunoglobulins (HRP K4010) were used in this study. The relationship of clinicopathologic features with YKL-40 is presented. The expression of YKL-40 indicated by increased immunochemical reactivity was significantly up-regulated in splenomegaly tissues compared to normal spleen tissues. Overexpression of YKL-40 was found in 68.8% of splenomegaly tissues and was significantly associated with Child-Pugh classification (P = 0.000), free portal pressure (correlation coefficient = 0.499, P < 0.01) and spleen fibrosis (correlation coefficient = 0.857, P < 0.01). Further study showed a significant correlation between YKL-40 and MMP-9 (correlation coefficient =-0.839, P < 0.01), indicating that YKL-40 might be an accelerator of spleen tissue remodeling by inhibiting the expression of MMP-9. In conclusion, YKL-40 is an important factor involved in the remodeling of spleen tissue of portal hypertension patients and can be used as a therapeutic target for splenomegaly.

Research paper thumbnail of Sex-specific association of high maternal psychological stress during pregnancy on newborn birthweight

PLOS ONE, 2022

Birthweight is an important predictor of newborn health and has been linked to maternal psycholog... more Birthweight is an important predictor of newborn health and has been linked to maternal psychological stress during pregnancy. However, it is unclear whether prenatal stress affects birthweight similarly for both male and female infants. We used a well-established pregnancy cohort to investigate the impact of high maternal psychological stress during pregnancy on birthweight as a function of infant sex. Overall, 5702 mother-newborn pairs were analysed. Of these, 198 mothers reported high levels of stress using the Psychological Stress Measure (nine-items version; PSM-9). Maternal psychological stress was assessed between the 24th and 28th week of gestation and analyses were performed jointly and independently as a function of neonatal sex (separate analyses for male and female infants). Newborns exposed to high maternal psychological stress during pregnancy (a score above 26 measured using the PSM-9 questionnaire, corresponding to >97.5th percentile) were compared to newborns of ...

Research paper thumbnail of Associations entre le stress maternel prénatal, l’âge gestationnel et le poids à la naissance du bébé

Développement social et émotionnel chez l'enfant et l'adolescent, tome 1, 2012

Research paper thumbnail of Proteomic Analysis of Maternal Urine for the Early Detection of Preeclampsia and Fetal Growth Restriction

Journal of Clinical Medicine, 2021

Background: To explore the use of maternal urine proteome for the identification of preeclampsia ... more Background: To explore the use of maternal urine proteome for the identification of preeclampsia biomarkers. Methods: Maternal urine samples from women with and without preeclampsia were used for protein discovery followed by a validation study. The targeted proteins of interest were then measured in urine samples collected at 20–24 and 30–34 weeks among nine women who developed preeclampsia, one woman with fetal growth restriction, and 20 women with uncomplicated pregnancies from a longitudinal study. Protein identification and quantification was obtained using liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS). Results: Among the 1108 urine proteins quantified in the discovery study, 21 were upregulated in preeclampsia and selected for validation. Nineteen (90%) proteins were confirmed as upregulated in preeclampsia cases. Among them, two proteins, ceruloplasmin and serpin A7, were upregulated at 20–24 weeks and 30–34 weeks of gestation (p < 0.05) in cases of preeclampsi...

Research paper thumbnail of Association of Maternal Weight and Gestational Weight Gain with Maternal and Neonate Outcomes: A Prospective Cohort Study

Journal of Clinical Medicine, 2019

We investigated the association of outcomes with pre-pregnancy body mass index (ppBMI), Institute... more We investigated the association of outcomes with pre-pregnancy body mass index (ppBMI), Institute of Medicine (IOM) recommendations about gestational weight gain, and weight gain trajectories during pregnancy. A prospective cohort of 7866 pregnant women was recruited. ppBMI and weight gain at each follow up visit were collected. The outcomes were gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP), caesarean delivery, macrosomia, small (SGA) and large (LGA) for gestational age, neonatal hypoglycemia. Group-based multi-trajectory modelling was used for weight kinetics during pregnancy. In the third trimester, 53.8% of women were above IOM recommendations, with an increased relative risk (RR) of HDP (1.91 (1.40–2.61)), caesarean (1.34 (1.15–1.56)), macrosomia (2.17 (1.77–2.67)), LGA (2.26 (1.83–2.80)), and hypoglycemia (1.89 (1.12–3.18)). Women with a weight gain above IOM recommendations in the second trimester who normalized their weight gain in third trim...

Research paper thumbnail of Impact of maternal prenatal psychological stress on birth weight

Health Psychology, 2020

Objective: The study aimed to evaluate the impact of prenatal maternal stress on birth weight usi... more Objective: The study aimed to evaluate the impact of prenatal maternal stress on birth weight using a large cohort of predominantly Caucasian women living in an urban area. Method: Women were recruited between 2005 and 2010. Data collection took place between the 24th and the 28th week of gestation. The Measure of Psychological Stress (MSP-9), a validated tool to assess stress symptoms, was used to collect data on prenatal maternal stress (independent variable). Birth weight (dependent variable) was classified as low birth weight (LBW; 2,500 g), normal birth weight (NBW; 2,500-4,000 g), and macrosomia (>4,000 g). Adjusted odd ratios (aOR) were obtained after performing multivariate logistic regressions adjusted for potential cofounders. At the final stage, 5,721 women were included in analysis. Results: When compared with women experiencing low stress, participants with high-stress scores were at increased risk of delivering an infant with LBW before adjustment [OR = 2.06, 95% CI (1.04-4.09)], but, after adjustment, only a nonsignificant trend remained. However, women experiencing intermediate and high levels of stress were at increased risk of delivering a baby with macrosomia, even after adjustment [aOR = 1.23 ; 95% CI (1.02-1.49)] and [aOR = 1.76 ; 95% CI (1.11-2.77)] compared to those who scored low on the psychological stress scale. Conclusion: Women exposed to high self-reported psychological stress during second trimester (24 th to 28 th weeks) of pregnancy have a 1.7-fold increased risk for delivering a baby with macrosomia when compared to women exposed to low psychological stress.

Research paper thumbnail of Risk Factors and Outcomes of Preterm Premature Rupture of Membranes in a Cohort of 6968 Pregnant Women Prospectively Recruited

Journal of Clinical Medicine, 2019

We revisited risk factors and outcomes related to the preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPR... more We revisited risk factors and outcomes related to the preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM). A total of 7866 pregnant women were recruited during 5 years at their first prenatal visit to the perinatal clinic of the institution. We compared three groups (women without prematurity, women with spontaneous preterm labor with intact membranes (sPL with IM), women with PPROM) regarding 60 criteria about characteristics, lifestyle, medical, gynecological, obstetrical history of mothers, medication during pregnancy, events at delivery, and complications in neonates. Logistic regression analyses adjusting for potential confounding factors were used. Of the 6968 women selected, 189 (2.8%) presented a PPROM, and 225 (3.2%) an sPL with IM. The specific risk factors for PPROM were body mass index (BMI) <18.5 kg/m2 (adjusted odds ratio, aOR: 2.00 (1.09–3.67)), history of PPROM (aOR: 2.75 (1.19–6.36)), nulliparity (aOR: 2.52 (1.77–3.60)), gestational diabetes (aOR: 1.87 (1.16–2.99)), a...

Research paper thumbnail of Cord blood S100B: reference ranges and interest for early identification of newborns with brain injury

Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (CCLM), 2019

BackgroundNeurological complications are common in the premature and full-term neonates admitted ... more BackgroundNeurological complications are common in the premature and full-term neonates admitted to the intensive care unit, but the diagnosis of these complications is often difficult to make. S100B protein, measured in cord blood, may represent a valuable tool to better identify patients at risk of brain injury.MethodsAs a first step, we established S100B cord blood serum reference intervals from 183 preterm and 200 full-term neonates. We then measured cord blood serum S100B to identify neurological complications in 272 neonates hospitalized at the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Diagnosis of brain injury relied on imaging examination.ResultsThe 95th percentiles of S100B concentration in cord blood were established as 1.21 μg/L for the 383 neonates, 0.96 μg/L for full-term neonates and 1.36 μg/L for premature neonates. Among the 272 neonates hospitalized at the NICU, 11 presented neurological complications. Using 1.27 μg/L as the optimal sensitivity/specificity threshold, S10...

Research paper thumbnail of Use of antidepressants and anxiolytics in early pregnancy and the risk of preeclampsia and gestational hypertension: a prospective study

BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, 2019

Background: We investigated the association between antidepressant and anxiolytic exposure during... more Background: We investigated the association between antidepressant and anxiolytic exposure during the first and early second trimester of pregnancy (< 16 weeks), and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (including preeclampsia and gestational hypertension) in women with singleton pregnancy. Methods: This study is based on a large prospective cohort of 7866 pregnant women. We included pregnant women aged 18 years or older without chronic hepatic or renal disease at the time of recruitment. Participants lost to the follow-up, with multiple pregnancies and pregnancy terminations, miscarriages or fetal deaths before 20 weeks of gestation were excluded from the study, as well as women with no data on the antidepressant/ anxiolytic medication use during pregnancy. Information concerning antidepressant or anxiolytic medication use was extracted from hospital records after delivery. The associations between their use and the risk of gestational hypertension or preeclampsia were calculated. Results: The final sample for analysis included 6761 participants including 218 (3.2%) women who were exposed to antidepressant and/or anxiolytic medication before the 16th week of gestation. Forty-one women had a nonmedicated depression or anxiety during the pregnancy. Moreover, 195 (2.9%) and 122 (1.8%) women developed gestational hypertension and preeclampsia respectively. When compared to women unexposed to antidepressant/ anxiolytic medication, depression and anxiety, those using antidepressant and/or anxiolytic drugs before the 16th week of gestation were at increased risk of preeclampsia (adjusted odd ratio (aOR) 3.09 [CI 95% 1.56-6.12]), especially if they continued their medication after the 16th week (aOR 3.41 [CI 95% 1.66-7.02]) compared to those who did not (1.60 [CI 95% 0.21-12.34]). Conclusions: Women exposed to antidepressant and/or anxiolytic medication before the 16th week of pregnancy have a 3-fold increased risk for preeclampsia when compared to women unexposed to antidepressant/anxiolytic medication, depression and anxiety. Also, our results suggested that women who stopped their medication before the 16th week of pregnancy could be benefit from reduced preeclampsia risk.

Research paper thumbnail of Determinants of vitamin D status in pregnant women and neonates

Canadian journal of public health = Revue canadienne de sante publique, Dec 27, 2016

Evidence suggests a beneficial effect of vitamin D on perinatal health; however, low vitamin D st... more Evidence suggests a beneficial effect of vitamin D on perinatal health; however, low vitamin D status is prevalent in pregnant women and neonates. The objective was to determine factors that are associated with vitamin D status of mothers in early pregnancy and neonates. The study comprised 1,635 pregnant women from Quebec City and Halifax, Canada, 2002-2010. Vitamin D status was based on the concentration of 25-hydroxy-vitamin D [25(OH)D] determined with a chemiluminescence immunoassay in maternal sera collected at a median of 15 weeks' gestation and in neonatal cord sera at delivery. A questionnaire with information on potential determinants was completed midpregnancy. A total of 44.8% of mothers and 24.4% of neonates had 25(OH)D concentrations <50 nmol/L. Adjusted mean (95% confidence interval) maternal 25(OH)D levels were higher in summer than in winter by 16.1 nmol/L (13.6-18.7), and in those in the highest versus the lowest category of education by 6.1 nmol/L (0.5-11.8)...

Research paper thumbnail of Reproducibility of First Trimester Three-dimensional Placental Measurements in the Evaluation of Early Placental Insufficiency

Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Canada, 2009

Objective: To evaluate the reproducibility of first-trimester, three-dimensional placental volume... more Objective: To evaluate the reproducibility of first-trimester, three-dimensional placental volume and vasculature evaluation by ultrasound in correlation with uterine artery Doppler flow studies. Method: We performed a prospective study of a cohort of pregnant women undergoing first-trimester ultrasound examination. Uterine artery Doppler and 3-D power Doppler angiography was performed. Placental volume, vascularization index (VI), flow index (FI), and vascularization flow index (VFI) were calculated three times by two independent observers using the virtual organ computer-aided analysis (VOCAL) software. Intra-and interobserver reproducibility was evaluated by Spearman's correlation test. All parameters between women with low (< 1.5 multiple of median) (MoM) and high (> 1.5 MoM) uterine artery Pourcelot index (PI) were compared by the Mann-Whitney test. Results: A total of 35 women between 11 and 14 weeks' gestation were recruited, including 26 who underwent uterine artery Doppler and six with elevated uterine artery PI. We found excellent intraand interobserver reproducibility (R 2 > 0.85) for all parameters. Women with elevated uterine artery PI had smaller placental volume, VI, FI, and VFI (P < 0.05). Conclusion: 3-D placental volume and vasculature evaluations during the first trimester are reproducible measures that inversely correlate with uterine artery PI.

Research paper thumbnail of Maternal prenatal stress and infant birth weight and gestational age: A meta-analysis of prospective studies

Developmental Review, 2015

A provider accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the ... more A provider accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Academy is dedicated to providing continuing medical education that is independent, fair, balanced, objective, and free of commercial bias. The Board of Directors requires that all abstract authors faculty comply with all applicable laws and regulations governing disclosure. All poster abstract authors are expected to disclose to their audience all financial or other relationships with a commercial interest. A commercial interest, as defined by the ACCME, is any entity producing, marketing, reselling, or distributing health care goods or services consumed by, or used on, patients. Scientific session faculty are also required to know and disclose to their audiences the US Food and Drug Administraion approval status of all medical devices and pharmaceuticals for the uses discussed, described, or demonstrated in their presentations. Any relationship with a commercial interest must be disclosed if it will be discussed in the poster presentation. If no relationships exist, the author(s) must state that no financial relationships exist with commercial interests. Authors must disclose regardless of whether an actual conflict exists.

Research paper thumbnail of Acetylsalicylic acid for the prevention of preeclampsia and intra-uterine growth restriction in women with abnormal uterine artery Doppler: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Journal of obstetrics and gynaecology Canada : JOGC = Journal d'obstétrique et gynécologie du Canada : JOGC, 2009

Preeclampsia is a major global cause of maternal, neonatal and perinatal mortality. From studies ... more Preeclampsia is a major global cause of maternal, neonatal and perinatal mortality. From studies of placental pathophysiology in women with preeclampsia, a potentially important role of low-dose acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) in the prevention of preeclampsia was expected, but the results from clinical trials have been disappointing. While recent evidence has shown that uterine Doppler can predict preeclampsia as early as in the first trimester of pregnancy, most clinical trials have evaluated ASA in the second and third trimesters. We performed a meta-analysis to assess the influence of gestational age at the time of introduction of ASA on the incidence of preeclampsia in women at increased risk, on the basis of abnormal uterine artery Doppler. Computerized searches of randomized controlled trials were conducted to retrieve studies in which pregnant women at increased risk of preeclampsia had been identified on the basis of abnormal uterine Doppler measurements. The trials compared wom...

Research paper thumbnail of Modulation of Apolipoprotein D levels in human pregnancy and association with gestational weight gain

Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology, 2009

Background Apolipoprotein D (ApoD) is a lipocalin involved in several processes including lipid t... more Background Apolipoprotein D (ApoD) is a lipocalin involved in several processes including lipid transport, but its modulation during human pregnancy was never examined. Methods We investigated the changes in the levels of ApoD in the plasma of pregnant women at the two first trimesters of gestation and at delivery as well as in the placenta and in venous cord blood. These changes were studied in 151 women classified into 9 groups in relation to their prepregnancy body mass index (BMI) and gestational weight gain (GWG). Results Plasma ApoD levels decrease significantly during normal uncomplicated pregnancy. ApoD is further decreased in women with excessive GWG and their newborns. In these women, the ApoD concentration was tightly associated with the lipid parameters. However, the similar ApoD levels in low cholesterol (LC) and high cholesterol (HC) women suggest that the plasma ApoD variation is not cholesterol dependant. A tight regulation of both placental ApoD transcription and pr...

Research paper thumbnail of Modulation of placental protein expression of OLR1: implication in pregnancy-related disorders or pathologies

REPRODUCTION, 2008

The lectin-like oxidized low-density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor-1 (OLR1) is a newly described rec... more The lectin-like oxidized low-density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor-1 (OLR1) is a newly described receptor for oxidatively modified LDL. The human pregnancy is associated with hyperlipidemia and oxidative stress. It has been reported that modification in maternal lipid profile can induce disturbance during pregnancy. In this study, we have evaluated the expression protein level of OLR1 in human term placenta of women having plasma cholesterol level lower to 7 mM or higher to 8 mM and women of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) by western blot analysis. The present study demonstrates that the maternal lipid profile is associated with placental protein expression of OLR1. A significant increase in the protein expression of OLR1 was observed in placenta of women with elevated plasmatic total cholesterol level (>8 mM). In addition, the placental protein expression of OLR1 is increased in mothers having the highest pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) and low (<7 mM) plasmatic total ch...

Research paper thumbnail of Early Occurrence of Metabolic Syndrome After Hypertension in Pregnancy

Obstetrics & Gynecology, 2005

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the cardiovascular risk profile and the preval... more The objective of the present study was to evaluate the cardiovascular risk profile and the prevalence of metabolic syndrome among women with a history of pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH). From a cohort of 3,799 nulliparous women prospectively recruited between 1989 and 1997, we performed an observational study on 168 case-control pairs 7.8 years after delivery. Participants were scheduled for a visit with a research nurse to evaluate their cardiovascular risk profile using a questionnaire, anthropometric measurements and blood specimen analysis. One hundred sixty-eight women with prior PIH (105 with gestational hypertension and 63 with preeclampsia) and 168 controls matched for age and year of index delivery were evaluated. The women with PIH (34.6 +/- 4.4 years) were more obese and had higher systolic (115 mm Hg versus 108 mm Hg) and diastolic (75 mm Hg versus 70 mm Hg) blood pressures (P &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt; .001) than the 168 controls (35.1 +/- 4.5 years). They had lower high-density lipoprotein cholesterol level (1.30 mmol/L versus 1.42 mmol/L; P &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt; .001), increased fasting blood glucose concentration (5.2 mmol/L versus 5.0 mmol/L; P = .002), and higher insulin levels (119 versus 91 pmol/L; P &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt; .001). The prevalence of the metabolic syndrome was higher in the PIH group (unadjusted odds ratio = 4.9; 95% confidence interval 2.1-10.9) compared with controls, even after adjustment for confounders (adjusted odds ratio = 3.6; 95% confidence interval 1.4 -9.0). In white women in their mid-30s, the prevalence of the metabolic syndrome is 3- to 5-fold increased in those with a history of PIH in their first pregnancy. This emphasizes the importance of long-term follow-up assessment for cardiovascular risk factors in these women.

Research paper thumbnail of The combination of ApoCIII, hepatic lipase and hormono sensitive lipase gene polymorphisms suggests an association with susceptibility to gestational hypertension

Journal of Human Genetics, 2007

Dyslipidemia and insulin resistance contribute to the endothelial cell dysfunction in hypertensiv... more Dyslipidemia and insulin resistance contribute to the endothelial cell dysfunction in hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) and increase the long-term risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). The genes linking susceptibility to gestational hypertension (GH) and/or preeclampsia (PE) to the long-term risk of CVD are still unknown. We evaluated the potential association between 14 polymorphisms from six genes involved in lipid metabolism and insulin action and the risk of HDP: namely the lipoprotein lipase (LPL), hepatic lipase (LIPC), hormone sensitive lipase (LIPE), cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP), ApoCIII and ApoE gene polymorphisms. Overall, 169 women with HDP [proteinuria (PE) and gestational hypertension without proteinuria (GH)] and 169 controls matched for age and year of delivery were genotyped. Homozygosity of the-514T allele of the-514C > T polymorphism (LIPC gene) decreased the risk of GH (OR = 0.17, CI 95 : 0.02-0.76), while there were more-60G carriers of the-60C > G LIPE gene polymorphism (OR = 3.51, CI 95 :1.02-12.10) among GH cases, but not in PE cases. The common ApoCIII two-locus-482CC/3238CC genotype was lower in women with GH compared with controls (OR = 0.53, CI 95 : 0.3-0.9). The combined frequency of at-risk genotypes was higher in cases of GH compared with controls [one at-risk genotype: OR = 3.38 (95% CI: 0.48-41.8); two or more at-risk genotypes: OR = 7.14 (95% CI: 1.21-92.3, P = 0.01)], suggesting a gene-dose effect. We conclude that the combined effect of LIPC, LIPE and ApoCIII gene polymorphisms may increase the likelihood of GH, but seemingly not of PE.

Research paper thumbnail of Alteration of calcium homeostasis in primary preeclamptic syncytiotrophoblasts: effect on calcium exchange in placenta

Journal of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, 2010

Preeclampsia (PE) represents a major factor for maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality [1... more Preeclampsia (PE) represents a major factor for maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality [1] and it affects 7-10% of pregnancies worldwide [2]. PE is characterized by maternal syndromes such as gestational hypertension, proteinuria, oedema and foetal syndromes like reduced amniotic fluid, abnormal oxygenation and, in 30% of cases, intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR). The precise factors involved in the pathogenesis of PE remain unclear and it is considered as a multisystem disorder [1]. PE is principally characterized by impaired placentation and would be the result of an impaired differentiation of villous trophoblasts, which leads to an abnormal remodelling of the spiral arteries [3]. Diabetes, obesity, hypertension, renal disease, primiparity, maternal age, sperm and oocyte donation are all known predisposing factors for PE [1]. The oxidative stress, resulting from deficient remodelling of spiral arteries, is an important consequence of PE. It induces the placenta

Research paper thumbnail of A Positive Correlation between Hydrogen Peroxide and Soluble TNF-Alpha Receptor 2 Early in Maternal Blood and At Term in Placenta of Pregnant Women with Preeclampsia

Hypertension in Pregnancy, 2012

We hypothesized that hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) and soluble TNF-α receptor 2 (sTNF-R2) co-play ... more We hypothesized that hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) and soluble TNF-α receptor 2 (sTNF-R2) co-play a role in the pathogenesis of preeclampsia. Correlation of H(2)O(2) and sTNF-R2 was assessed in vivo in maternal blood and placenta, and in vitro in cytotrophoblasts culture. We showed a positive correlation between increased levels of H(2)O(2) and sTNF-R2 early at 10-15 gestational weeks and at term in maternal serum, and in placenta of women with preeclampsia. Our in vitro experiments showed that H(2)O(2) induced the placental synthesis of sTNF-R2. We propose to consider H(2)O(2) and sTNF-R2 as potential biomarkers in predicting preeclampsia.

Research paper thumbnail of Previous Hypertensive Disease of Pregnancy Is Associated With Alterations of Markers of Insulin Resistance

Hypertension, 2007

Insulin resistance syndrome has been observed in women with hypertensive disease of pregnancy, bu... more Insulin resistance syndrome has been observed in women with hypertensive disease of pregnancy, but few studies evaluated the presence of the syndrome a few years after delivery. The objective of this study was to evaluate the presence of insulin resistance and its metabolic alterations in these women compared with those who had a normal pregnancy. We performed an observational study in 168 women with previous hypertensive disease of pregnancy and 168 control subjects with normal pregnancy contacted, on average, 7.8 years after their first delivery (mean age: 34.8 years). Complete blood lipid profile, insulin, glucose, homocysteine, adipokins, and markers of inflammation were measured. Also, an oral glucose tolerance test was performed in 146 case and 135 control subjects. Case subjects were more overweight compared with control subjects. We found significantly lower high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and adiponectin levels and higher apolipoprotein (apo) apoB/apoA1 ratio, homocyst...