Vilosite placentária e sua relação com intercorrências fetais e maternas Placental villitis and its relationship with fetal and maternal outcome

Abstract

OBJETIVO: a vilosite placentária tem sido associada a infecção perinatal, embora uma porcentagem permaneça de etiologia desconhecida. O objetivo deste estudo foi realizar análise morfológica das vilosites, com caracterização imuno-histoquímica, e relacioná-la com intercorrências maternas e fetais. MÉTODOS: foram incluídas 128 placentas. Foi realizada a análise macroscópica e todos os fragmentos coletados foram analisados microscopicamente pelo método da hematoxilina-eosina. As vilosites foram classificadas de acordo com a intensidade do processo inflamatório em vilosite discreta, moderada e acentuada. Para a pesquisa do agente etiológico foi realizada imuno-histoquímica utilizando anticorpos monoclonais anti-Toxoplasma gondii e anti-Cytomegalovirus. Para avaliação do fenótipo das células do infiltrado inflamatório das vilosidades foram utilizados os seguintes anticorpos: anti-CD68, anti-CD57, CD3 e CD20. Foram analisadas as seguintes variáveis: idade materna e gestacional, peso fetal e placentário e intercorrências maternas e fetais. Na comparação entre dois grupos utilizamos o teste de Mann-Whitney e as proporções foram comparadas por meio do teste do chi2. As diferenças observadas foram consideradas significativas quando pPURPOSE: placental villitis has been correlated with perinatal infection, although a percentage of cases remains etiologically unknown. The present study was aimed at the systematic morphological study of placentas for imunohistochemical characterization of villitis and assessment of its possible correlation with maternal and fetal outcome. METHODS: a hundred and twenty-eight placentas were studied. Gross examination was performed and all collected fragments were analyzed microscopically by the hematoxylin-eosin method. Villits was classified according to the inflammatory degree in to mild, moderate and severe. The immunohistochemical study to identify infectious agents was performed using monoclonal antibodies against Toxoplasma gondii and Cytomegalovirus. For inflammatory cell phenotype identification monoclonal antibodies against CD68, CD57, CD3, and CD20 were used. Statistical analysis was performed with the variables: maternal age and fetal gestational age, fetal and placental weight, and fetal and maternal outcomes. To compare the two groups we used the Mann-Whitney test and for proportions we used the chi2 test. The differences in the mean values between the treatment groups were considered statistically significant when p<0.05 (5%). RESULTS: villitis was identified in 11.7% of the cases. In 40% of the cases the children were stillborn (p=0.003). One case showed positive staining for toxoplasmosis while the remaining cases were negative. Imunohistochemical staining showed CD68+ cells, PanT+ cells and negative CD57 and PanB cells. CONCLUSION: we concluded that the intensity of the inflammatory process in the placenta was correlated with the severity of the fetal disease. The inflammatory cells in the villitis focus were macrophages; however, we could not identify infectious agents correlated with the villitis.

Keywords

• Placenta
• Vilosite
• Gravidez: infecções
• Toxoplasmose
• Placenta
• Villitis
• Infection in pregnancy
• Toxoplasmosis