-Short Communication-

T Helper 1/T Helper 2 Cell Immunity in Preeclamptic Twin Pregnancy

Shunji Suzuki and Nozomi Ouchi

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Japanese Red Cross Katsushika Maternity Hospital, Tokyo

Preeclampsia has been classified into two types on the basis of the T helper (Th)1/Th2 balance: Th1-predominant type and Th2 predominant type. In this study, we examined the Th1/Th2 ratio in peripheral Th cells in 11 patients with preeclamptic twin pregnancies, 11 normal (nonpreeclamptic) twin pregnancies, 11 preeclamptic singleton pregnancies, and 11 normal singleton pregnancies. The average Th1/Th2 ratio in the patients with preeclamptic twin pregnancy was 8.3 ± 3.4 (mean ± SD), which was similar to those in patients with normal singleton and twin pregnancies and significant lower than that in patients with preeclamptic singleton pregnancies (p = 0.003). The present results suggest that the mechanisms of preeclampsia differ between singleton and twin pregnancies.

J Nippon Med Sch 2007; 74: 434-436

Keywords
twin pregnancy, T helper cell, preeclampsia

Correspondence to
Shunji Suzuki, MD, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Japanese Red Cross Katsushika Maternity Hospital, 5-11-12 Tateishi, Katsushika-ku, Tokyo 124-0012, Japan
czg83542@mopera.ne.jp

Received, August 10, 2007
Accepted, September 18, 2007