Incorrect diagnosis of placental insufficiency in a patient with pre-eclampsia.
A case of pre-eclampsia is described where suspicion of placental insufficiency arose due to low estriol levels and a positive oxytocin challenge test (OCT). The cause, however, of these findings was later proven to be strictly fetal. It is concluded that low estriol levels and a positive OCT may be caused by a decreased placental capacity but specific tests of placental function, as for instance estimations of HPL in plasma and/or a DHAS-test, should be used to verify or rule out a suspicion of placental insufficiency.
D000328:Adult; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D003951:Diagnostic Errors; D004964:Estriol / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010121:Oxytocin; D010922:Placenta Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D010927:Placental Insufficiency / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011247:Pregnancy
D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone; D010121:Oxytocin; D004964:Estriol