Selected Trace Elements in Blood of Women with Preeclampsia in Kongo Central, DR Congo.

BACKGROUND: Preeclampsia (PE) is a pregnancy-specific complication affecting 3 to 8% of women worldwide, particularly in developing countries. Environmental factors, including trace elements (TE), have been suggested to be associated with the risk of PE, but with conflicting results depending on the specific elements studied. This study aims to compare blood concentrations of cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg), manganese (Mn), lead (Pb), and selenium (Se) in women with and without PE. METHODS: The case-control study was conducted (35 cases and 30 controls) in Kongo Central province, in the southwestern of the DR Congo. The logistic regression model was used to estimate the odds ratios of the risk of PE as a function of blood TE levels, after adjusting for potential confounding factors. RESULTS: Higher blood Cd levels were associated with increased odds of PE in cases as compared to controls [OR = 1.355 (95% CI: 1.077-2.081, P < 0.01]. In contrast, lower blood Se levels were associated with higher odds of PE [OR = 0.097 (95% CI: 0.013-0.394), P < 0.01]. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study highlight a significant association between high blood Cd levels and an increased risk of PE, while high blood Se levels are associated with a reduced risk. Further prospective and interventional studies are warranted to confirm these findings.