High-risk human papillomavirus and risk of preeclampsia: a possible connection?

C. Dragosloveanu, S. Vladareanu, R. Vlădăreanu

Abstract: Objectives: there is growing evidence of the high prevalence of human papillomavirus (HPV) in both spontaneous abortions and spontaneous preterm delivery; our purpose was to determine the correlation between high-risk (HR)-HPV cervical infection in early pregnancy and preeclampsia (PE). Methods: we conducted a retrospective case control study carried out in „Prof.Dr. Panait Sarbu” Hospital in Bucharest on a one-year period. Women who tested positive for HR- HPV at entry to prenatal care (n=108) were compared with those who were HR-HPV negative (n=216). We assessed the relationship between the presence of HR-HPV and preeclampsia (as defined by clinical guidelines). Results: One hundred and eight women with HR-HPV were matched with two hundred sixteen women HR-HPV negative. Patients carrying HR-HPV were younger (mean age 25.03 ± 3.42 years old vs. 27.08±3.14 years old, p< 0.001), more likely to be nulliparous, had lower body mass index (mean value 22.58± 3.01 Kg/m2 vs. 25.35± 3.19 Kg/m2, p<0.001) and more likely to develop PE (13% vs 3.7%, p= 0.001; adjusted odds ratio 5.30; 95% confidence interval, 2.03-13.84). Conclusions: we observed that HR-HPV infection was associated with an increased risk of developing preeclampsia. Further larger prospective studies are required to evaluate the mechanisms by which HR-HPV induces PE taking into account that this infection is nowadays preventable with vaccination.
DOI:10.18643/gieu.2014.93

Keywords: human papillomavirus, pregnancy, preeclampsia.