Elevated gamma-glutamyl transferase levels in early pregnancy increase pregnant women's risk of gestational hypertension and preeclampsia

Background: The association between liver dysfunction in early pregnancy and the hypertensive disorders in pregnancy (HDP) remains unclear. Methods: weeks of gestation. The exposure was liver dysfunction. The primary outcome was the development of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP), categorised into gestational hypertension and preeclampsia (PE). Preeclampsia was categorised into mild and severe forms, as well as early-onset and late-onset types. Multiple logistic regression analyses were conducted to estimate the risk for HDP and its subtypes across different liver function biomarker levels. Results: Among the 50 423 women included in the study, 17.1% had abnormal liver function. The overall HDP rate was 3.9%. Across the different serum Gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT)groups, the HDP incidence rates were 2.9% (0-12 units per litre /U/L)), 5.4% (12.1-32 U/L), 10.0% (32.1-64 U/L), and 10.5% (>64 U/L) (P 64 U/L had a 25.0% greater risk (aOR = 1.250; 95% CI = 1.078-1.449) of HDP. We further assessed the associations between varying GGT levels and HDP subtypes (gestational hypertension, mild PE, severe PE, early onset PE, and late-onset PE), and similar results were obtained for all subtypes. Restricted cubic spline (RCS) curves revealed that elevated serum GGT levels have a dose-response relationship with HDP, along with its subtypes. Conclusions: GGT levels during early pregnancy have a dose-response relationship with the development of HDP and its subtypes

Early pregnancy factor · Gestation · Gestational hypertension · Preeclampsia · Pregnancy · Transferase · Folate and B Vitamins Research · Pregnancy and preeclampsia studies · Sulfur Compounds in Biology