Increased plasma fatty acid binding protein 4 concentration at the first prenatal visit and its relevance to preeclampsia

Preeclampsia affects 2-8% of all pregnancies, and it is associated with significant perinatal mortality and morbidities including preterm birth and small for gestational age. We examined whether plasma fatty acid binding protein 4 (FABP4) concentrations are associated with risk of later preeclampsia development. From March 2015 to May 2016, serum FABP4 was measured in 1486 women in early pregnancy. The relationship between the levels of FABP4 and preeclampsia were evaluated using univariate and multivariate regression analysis. The median plasma concentration of FABP4 at the first prenatal visit was significantly higher in women in whom preeclampsia developed later compared with those in whom it did not (P < 0.001). For each 1 unit increase in FABP4 plasma concentration, the unadjusted and adjusted risk of preeclampsia increased by 8% (odds ratio (OR): 1.08; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.05-1.12) and 4% (1.04; 95% CI: 1.02-1.07), respectively. The addition of FABP4 to established risk factors significantly improved net reclassification improvement. Increased FABP4 at the first prenatal visit of gestation independently predicted preeclampsia and significantly improved reclassification and discrimination. This information is important to guide public health efforts in preeclampsia prevention.