New Blood Markers Could Improve Early Detection of Pulmonary Hypertension in Pregnancy | Research

The takeaway

IDO1-dependent tryptophan metabolites and endocan show promise as diagnostic biomarkers for pregnancy-associated pulmonary hypertension.

62 patients studied
IDO1 tryptophan metabolites and endocan showed diagnostic potential in pregnancy-associated pulmonary hypertension

What the researchers found

IDO1-dependent tryptophan metabolites and endocan showed potential as effective diagnostic biomarkers for pregnancy-associated pulmonary hypertension.

Why it matters

Pulmonary hypertension in pregnancy is often detected late with devastating consequences. Better biomarkers could enable earlier diagnosis and timely intervention.

The numbers in context

62 patients with pregnancy-related pulmonary hypertension, 86 healthy controls. Measured endocan, BNP, and NT-proBNP by ELISA. IDO-dependent tryptophan metabolites by LC-MS/MS. Endocan correlated with BNP and NT-proBNP.

How the study worked

Case-control study of 62 patients with pregnancy-associated pulmonary hypertension versus healthy pregnant controls, measuring serum IDO-dependent tryptophan metabolites and endocan levels.

Who was studied

62 pregnant women with pulmonary hypertension and 86 healthy controls

What this study cannot tell us

Relatively small sample (n=62). Cross-sectional design cannot determine if biomarker changes precede or follow disease onset. Validation in larger cohorts needed.

How to read the evidence

Case-control biomarker study — provides promising preliminary data but requires prospective validation in larger populations before clinical adoption.

When this study was published

Published in 2025, representing the first report linking endocan and IDO1 metabolites to pregnancy pulmonary hypertension.

The bigger picture

This study links the immune-metabolic IDO pathway and endothelial dysfunction to pregnancy complications, potentially expanding biomarker panels for high-risk pregnancies.

Questions still open

Can these biomarkers be incorporated into routine prenatal screening for high-risk pregnancies?
Do IDO pathway changes drive disease progression or merely reflect it?

Common questions

Why is pulmonary hypertension dangerous during pregnancy?

The cardiovascular demands of pregnancy can overwhelm lungs with high blood pressure, leading to right heart failure. It remains one of the most dangerous pregnancy complications, with high maternal mortality rates.

What are tryptophan metabolites?

Tryptophan is an amino acid your body uses to make serotonin and other important molecules. The IDO enzyme breaks tryptophan down a different pathway, and the resulting metabolites appear to be altered in pregnancy pulmonary hypertension, potentially serving as early warning biomarkers.

Read the original research

IDO-Dependent Tryptophan Metabolites and Endocan as Effective Diagnostic Biomarkers for Pregnancy with Pulmonary Hypertension.

International journal of women's health, 17, 2205-2216

View on PubMed ↗Publisher’s paper ↗

Citation

Peng, Guixin; Liu, Zhuanghua; Wang, Wenli. (2025). IDO-Dependent Tryptophan Metabolites and Endocan as Effective Diagnostic Biomarkers for Pregnancy with Pulmonary Hypertension.. International journal of women's health, 17, 2205-2216. https://doi.org/10.2147/IJWH.S527345