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Aim: Gasdermin-D (GSDMD) and pannexin-1 (PANX1), which are proinflammatory proteins, may be involved in the pathogenesis of complications in pregnant women with obesity. We aimed to investigate the expression of GSDMD and PANX1 biochemically in samples of maternal omental and placental tissue obtained from pregnant women with or without obesity, and their correlation with maternal, obstetric, and fetal/neonatal variables. Methods: The prospective observational study included 79 pregnant women who underwent elective cesarean sections with a pregnancy between 37 and 41 weeks from December 2021 to April 2022. They were divided into three study groups according to their body mass index (BMI): normal weight (with a BMI 30) (n=26). Omental and placental GSDMD and PANX1 levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay between the groups. Results: In the homogenate of omental tissue, the median levels of GSDMD and PANX1 protein in the overweight and obese groups were significantly lower than those in the normal weight groups (p=0.0154 and p=0.0184, respectively). In the placental tissue samples, the median levels of GSDMD and PANX1 proteins in the normal weight, overweight, and obese groups were similar. Conclusion: GSDMD and PANX1 expressions were shown for the first time in the omentum and placenta together; which has the potential to be used as a predictive and diagnostic test panel after further studies in obese pregnant women.

ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) may be asymptomatic or symptomatic in pregnant women. Compared to non-pregnant reproductive-aged women, symptomatic individuals appear to have a higher risk of acquiring severe illness sequelae. OBJECTIVES: We assessed the clinical and laboratory characteristics and outcomes of pregnant COVID-19 patients unvaccinated for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 according to the trimester of pregnancy. DESIGN AND SETTING: This was a retrospective observational study conducted in a tertiary-level hospital in Turkey. METHODS: This retrospective study reviewed the clinical and laboratory characteristics and outcomes of 445 pregnant COVID-19 patients hospitalized during the first, second, and third trimesters of pregnancy and 149 other pregnant women as controls in a tertiary center from April 2020 to December 2021. All participants were unvaccinated. RESULTS: Overall, the study groups were comparable in terms of baseline clinical pregnancy characteristics. There was no clear difference among the study participants with COVID-19 in the first, second, and third trimesters of pregnancy. However, a considerably high number of clinical and laboratory findings revealed differences that were consistent with the inflammatory nature of the disease. CONCLUSIONS: The study results reveal the importance of careful follow-up of hospitalized cases as a necessary step by means of regular clinical and laboratory examinations in pregnant COVID-19 patients. With further studies, after implementing vaccination programs for COVID-19 in pregnant women, these data may help determine the impact of vaccination on the outcomes of pregnant COVID-19 patients.