Analysis of Serum Pancreatic Stone Protein (PSP) in Healthy Pregnant Women and Its Value in Predicting Inflammatory Complications During Pregnancy

Pregnant women feature a complex immunological condition caused by pregnancy itself and hence women present with an increased susceptibility to some infectious and non-infectious inflammatory diseases. Specifically regulated mechanisms have been described occurring in normal whereas lacking in pathological pregnancies in both the native and adaptive immune system in animal models and humans. However, clinically relevant biomarker associated with preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM), amniotic infection syndrome (AIS) as well as pregnancy associated complications such as preeclampsia and hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, and low platelets (HELLP) syndrome have their limitations.

Pancreatic stone protein (PSP), originally obtained from human pancreatic stones from patients operated for chronic calcifying pancreatitis, has been studied in several gastrointestinal pathologies.

The aim of this study is to evaluate the physiological course of the potentially novel biomarker PSP in pregnant women as well as to assess its predictive role in the development of inflammatory complications during pregnancy.