(HealthDay)—Severe preeclampsia (S-PEecl), but not non-severe preeclampsia (NS-PEecl), is associated with antiβ2GP1 immunoglobulin (Ig)G, according to a study published online Jan. 18 in the Journal of Thrombosis and Haemostasis.

Tess Marchetti, from Geneva University Hospitals in Switzerland, and colleagues examined the prevalence of antiphospholipid (aPL) in women with previous preeclampsia. Plasma samples were collected six months after delivery for 195 control women, 199 NS-PEecl, and 143 S-PEecl patients. The authors tested plasma for lupus anticoagulant, anticardiolipin (aCL), and antiβ2GP1 antibodies, as well as antibodies against phosphatidylserine/prothrombin complex (aPS/PT) and domain I of the β2GP1.

The researchers found that after adjustment for confounding variables, there were no significant associations for the NS-PEecl group compared with the control group. Antiβ2GP1 IgG was associated with the S-PEecl group (odds ratio, 16.91), along with age, obesity, smoking, and multiparity. In the three groups there were correlations for antiβ2GP1-domain I IgG with aCL, antiβ2GP1, and aPS/PT IgG. Also in the three groups, aPS/PT IgG correlated with aCL IgG, and aPS/PT IgM correlated with aCL and antiβ2GP1 IgM.

"S-PEecl is a distinct entity from NS-PEecl and is mainly associated with the presence of antiβ2GP1 IgG," the authors write. "Antiβ2GP1 domain I correlate with other aPL IgG tests, and aPS/PT may be promising in patients in which lupus anticoagulant tests cannot be interpreted."