Simple test offers quick diagnosis of potentially deadly prenatal condition

Researchers have discovered a simple test used for Alzheimer’s diagnosis is effective at detecting one of the world’s deadliest pregnancy-related conditions, which experts say could have a major impact on worldwide health.

In research presented Thursday at the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine’s annual pregnancy meeting, the non-invasive Congo Red Dot (CRD) diagnostic test was shown to have an 86 percent accuracy rate in diagnosing preeclampsia in a collaborative study between The Ohio State Wexner Medical Center and Nationwide Children’s Hospital.

Historically, preeclampsia had been diagnosed after 20 weeks of pregnancy, but researchers said their test could be used across all gestational ages and has been tested with twins as well.

Preeclampsia affects 5 to 8 percent of pregnancies worldwide. While 75 percent of cases are mild, the condition can escalate quickly, especially without treatment. At the most serious, it can develop into eclampsia, affecting brain function, or causing seizures or coma.

For the developing fetus, there is the risk of separation of the placenta from the uterus, pregnancy loss, and poor or premature birth. Babies who are delivered preterm run the risk of long-term health issues such as learning disorders, cerebral palsy, deafness and blindness.

The condition is responsible for about 18 percent of maternal deaths in the United States, and it is, along with other hypertensive disorders, the leading cause of maternal and infant illness and death. According to the Preeclampsia Foundation, by conservative estimates, these disorders are globally responsible for 76,000 maternal and 500,000 infant deaths annually.

While preeclampsia is characterized by high blood pressure and protein in the urine, these measurable symptoms are also found in other diseases such as hypertension and kidney disease, making it difficult to discern a patient’s diagnosis. Plus, even if a woman had high blood pressure before pregnancy, she’s still at risk for preeclampsia, which could worsen her condition, said first author Dr. Kara Rood, a fellow in the division of maternal-fetal medicine in the department of obstetrics and gynecology at Ohio State’s Wexner Medical Center.