SERUM FLUORIDE LEVELS AS A BIOMARKER IN PRE-ECLAMPTIC WOMEN: A CASE–CONTROL TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL BASED STUDY

Abstract

The aim and objectives of the study were to determine (i) whether a high serum fluoride (F) level was an added risk factor for the development of pre-eclampsia in Kolar population, an area with endemic fluorosis, and (ii) whether the serum F levels could be used as a predictive diagnostic marker for pre-eclampsia. The study was designed as a case–control study in pregnant women after 20th week of gestation in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of a tertiary care hospital. After obtaining ethics clearance and written informed consent from 300 pregnant women (150 cases and 150 controls), 5 mL of venous maternal blood was collected in a plain (red-capped) vacutainer and serum was separated for estimation of the serum F levels by using a fluoride ion-selective electrode. The serum F levels in the cases and controls were statistically analyzed by the Mann-Whitney U test. The mean±standard deviation in the cases and controls was 1.8±0.66 and 0.18±0.31 mg/L, respectively. The serum F levels were significantly higher in the pre-eclampsia cases with a z value of 14.4. We found that F is an added risk factor for pre-eclampsia and that a maternal serum F level of ≥1.8 mg/ L can be considered as a diagnostic biomarker for predicting pre-eclampsia and the related pregnancy outcomes.