A Prospective Study for the Prediction of Preeclampsia with Urinary Calcium Level

Objectives To assess the efficacy of calciuria as a diagnostic test for the prediction of preeclampsia, and also to determine the changes in urinary excretion of calcium in preeclampsia and normotensive women. Methods A prospective study was conducted on 60 primi mothers in the age group of 20-30 years, and all were enrolled at 16 weeks of gestation with clinical follow up by 4 weeks and 24 h urinary calcium and creatinine estimation. Ten mothers developed preeclampsia (study groups) and fifty remained normotensive (control groups). By means of Receiver-operator curve, a cut-off level of urinary calcium in 24 h was chosen for predicting preeclampsia. Results Preeclamptic women excreted significantly less total urine calcium (87.0 +/- 3.59 mg/24 h) than normotensive women (303.68 +/- 17.699 mg/24 h) (p < 0.0001) at 40 weeks of gestation. Urinary calcium and calcium/creatinine (Ca:Cr) ratio decreases progressively from 28 weeks to 40 weeks in the study group when compared to normotensive group. Conclusions Preeclamptic women excrete less calcium than normotensive women. This parameter would predict preeclampsia earlier in pregnancy.