The correlation between serum sodium levels and preeclampsia severity in pregnant women; a cross-sectional study

Introduction: Preeclampsia is a significant pregnancy complication characterized by hypertension and proteinuria, potentially leading to severe maternal and fetal morbidity. The pathophysiology of preeclampsia involves endothelial dysfunction, which may influence various biochemical markers, including serum sodium levels. Objectives: This study aims to elucidate the relationship between serum sodium concentrations and preeclampsia severity. Patients and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in 2023 on 112 pregnant women diagnosed with preeclampsia at Akbarabadi and Firoozabadi hospitals in Tehran. Participants were categorized into mild/moderate and severe preeclampsia groups based on clinical criteria. Data collection utilized a researcher-designed checklist that included demographic information such as maternal age and body mass index (BMI), as well as clinical details including delivery type, twin status, proteinuria levels, blood pressure, maternal sodium concentrations measured before and up to 48 hours post-delivery, gestational age, and fetal weight. The primary outcome was evaluating the correlation between maternal serum sodium levels and the severity of preeclampsia. Results: The study involved 112 women with an average age of 29.37 ± 6.33 years, among whom 57 were diagnosed with severe preeclampsia and 55 with mild or moderate cases. The analysis revealed that there was no statistically significant correlation between serum sodium levels and the severity of preeclampsia (P>0.05). Conclusion: The findings suggest that serum sodium levels may not be a reliable biomarker for assessing the severity of preeclampsia in pregnant women, highlighting the need for further research to explore other potential indicators that could better reflect the condition’s severity and inform clinical management strategies.