Hematocrit and plasma albumin levels difference may be a potential biomarker to discriminate preeclampsia and eclampsia in patients with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy

We evaluated whether alterations of hemoglobin (HB), hematocrit (HCT), serum albumin level (ALB), and the difference of HCT and ALB can be used in the diagnosis of preeclampsia and eclampsia in patients with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP). A total of 509 individuals were recruited and divided into 4 groups: Group 1, 170 healthy non–pregnant women; Group 2, 125 normal pregnant women; Group 3, 105 pregnant women diagnosed with gestational and chronic hypertension; Group 4, 109 pregnant women diagnosed as having preeclampsia and eclampsia. Data of HB, HCT, ALB, globulin (GLB) were collected at the time of a prenatal examination during the third trimester. Alterations in the HCT and the ALB levels in these groups were significantly different. Group 4 had a higher mean HCT-ALB value (P57.0%, specificity>98.9%), respectively. The value of HCT-ALB>12.65 might be used as a potential biomarker for the auxiliary diagnosis of preeclampsia and eclampsia in HDP. •Patients with or without HDP were analyzed for the HCT and the ALB alterations•Preeclampsia/eclampsia patients had a significantly higher mean HCT-ALB value.•The difference of HCT-ALB might be a potential biomarker for preeclampsia/eclampsia.