Serum PAPP-A levels are depressed in women with fetal Down syndrome in early pregnancy.
The value of maternal serum pregnancy-associated plasma protein (PAPP)-A in screening for Down syndrome in early pregnancy was assessed using stored samples. Seventeen cases of Down syndrome and 66 unaffected control pregnancies were studied. The median PAPP-A level in the cases was 0.42 multiples of the expected value in controls (p < 0.0001). Eleven cases (65 per cent) had levels less than half the expected value compared with only six controls (9 per cent). A commercial assay kit is now needed so that prospective screening with this marker can begin.
Muller
F
F
Laboratoire de Biochimie, Assistance Hôpitaux Publique de Paris, Boulogne, France.
Cuckle
H
H
Teisner
B
B
Grudzinskas
J G
JG
D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D004314:Down Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011266:Pregnancy-Associated Plasma Protein-A / Q000032:analysis*; D011296:Prenatal Diagnosis / Q000379:methods*
D015415:Biomarkers; D011266:Pregnancy-Associated Plasma Protein-A