Effect of human immunodeficiency virus infection on serum beta2-microglobulin levels in pregnant women

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Objective: To assess serum β2-microglobulin levels in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected and uninfected pregnant women, variations of serum β2-microglobulin levels during pregnancy and postpartum, factors that might influence β2-microglobulin levels in pregnant women, and the association between β2-microglobulin and perinatal HIV-1 transmission. Methods: We assayed 374 stored (–70C) serum samples from pregnant women enrolled in the Newark perinatal HIV-1–transmission study and 18 nonpregnant women for β2-microglobulin using a microparticulate enzyme immunoassay. The Student t test, Wilcoxon rank test, binomial test, and Spearman correlation coefficient were used for statistical analysis, with P < .05 considered statistically significant. A linear regression model was used to assess the effect of independent variables on serum β2-microglobulin levels. Results: There were no significant differences (P = .16) in serum β2-microglobulin levels between pregnant and nonpregnant HIV-negative women (1.07 ± 0.35 versus 0.99 ± 0.18 mg/L). β2-Microglobulin levels did not vary throughout pregnancy and postpartum, irrespective of HIV serostatus. Substance abuse did not alter β2-microglobulin levels. Human immunodeficiency virus infection caused significant increases of this surrogate marker, but it could not discriminate among disease stages. β2-Microglobulin levels at delivery were lower among women who delivered HIV-infected infants. Conclusion: Human immunodeficiency virus infection was associated with increased serum β2-microglobulin levels in pregnant women and was the most significant correlate of increases of that marker. Pregnancy and substance use during pregnancy did not influence levels of serum β2-microglobulin significantly.

This publication has 0 references indexed in Scilit: