ASTHMATIC PREGNANT FEMALES; EXPRESSION OF MATRIX METALLOPROTEINASES (MMPs).

Objectives: To evaluate the expression of MMPs and oxidative stress markers in pregnant Asthmatic females. Period: July 2015 to Dec 2015. Design: Cross sectional. Setting: Jinnah Hospital Lahore. Background: Maternal asthma throughout pregnancy unfavorably alters pregnancy outcomes but evaluation of the causes, and the ability to assess interventions, is restricted having inadequate knowledge of complex interactions between underlying inflammation, oxidativestress and structural changes in asthmatic airways. Methods: Total 100 patients were included in study. Fifty ascontrols. Clinically diagnosed asthmatic pregnant females coming to GyneaUnit of Jinnah hospital were included. Females on any medication or suffering from any congenital disease were excluded out of the current study. Matrix metalloproteinase's, TNF-α, 8OHdG, 4-HNE and Isoprostanes are measured by ELISA. Results: Results shows that MMP-7 and MMP-9 have positive correlation with proinflammatory cytokine TNF-α but MMP-8 have significantly positive correlation with it (TNF-α Vs. MMP-8 r=0.946. On the other hand MMP-7 has significant correlation besides other MMPS (MMP-7 Vs.8OHdG r=0.719) indicating a positive correlation between proteinases and marker of DNA damage indicating epithelial shedding in case of Asthma. Conclusion: The sole objective of effective asthma management in pregnancy is to prevent exacerbations. Antioxidants should be added in diet so to ovoid oxidative stress caused to airway epithelial and structural cells and MMP inhibitors may be used as therapeutic agents as well as measuring MMP levels as diagnostic or prognostic markers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]