Interleukin-18 and Interferon Gamma Levels in Preeclampsia: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

ProblemThis systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to investigate the relationship between preeclampsia (PE) and circulating interleukin-18 (IL-18) and interferon gamma (IFN-). Method of studyThree electronic databases (PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science) were searched. ResultsEleven studies with 947 participants reporting IL-18 and 16 studies with 2230 subjects reporting IFN- were included. There was no significant difference in the IL-18 levels in PE patients compared with controls. However, IFN- was found to be significantly higher in women with PE than that in normotensive pregnant women (standardized mean difference=0.93; 95% confident interval: 0.07, 1.79). Furthermore, stratification by specimen type, quality score, method of estimation of mean and standard deviation, and whether sampling not in labor/premature rupture of membrane/infection also showed significant differences in standardized mean difference of IL-18, as well as IFN-. ConclusionThis meta-analysis suggests that circulating higher IFN- levels may be associated with preeclampsia.