Correlation of Serum Ferritin Levels with Severity of Preeclampsia: A Randomized Controlled Comparative Study

Abstract

Background: Preeclampsia is a leading hypertensive disorder of pregnancy that contributes substantially to maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality. Serum ferritin, an acute-phase reactant and indicator of oxidative stress, may correlate with the severity of disease and serve as an accessible biomarker. Aim: To evaluate the correlation between serum ferritin levels and severity of preeclampsia among pregnant women in a tertiary-care hospital. Methods: A randomized controlled comparative study was conducted in the Tertiary care hospital,Dharwad, between January 2021 and April 2023. One hundred fifty antenatal women were divided equally into three groups: normotensive controls, mild preeclampsia, and severe preeclampsia. Serum ferritin was measured by ELISA. Data were analyzed using ANOVA, Pearson correlation, and ROC analysis. Results: Mean serum ferritin levels were 43.2 ± 12.5 ng/mL in controls, 95.8 ± 22.6 ng/mL in mild preeclampsia, and 149.6 ± 33.4 ng/mL in severe preeclampsia (p < 0.001). Serum ferritin correlated strongly with mean arterial pressure (r = 0.74, p < 0.001). ROC analysis showed AUC = 0.91 (95% CI 0.86–0.97). Conclusion: Serum ferritin levels rise proportionately with disease severity and can be used as a simple biomarker for early prediction and monitoring of preeclampsia.