Maternal serum inhibin A can predict pre-eclampsia.
OBJECTIVE
To compare median levels of maternal serum inhibin A in the second trimester blood samples of women who subsequently develop pre-eclampsia and those who do not.


METHODS
Retrospective analysis of 13 18 week samples from a bank of serum stored at -40 degrees C, originally taken for Down's syndrome screening.


METHODS
Antenatal clinics in a teaching hospital.


METHODS
Twenty-eight pregnancies with pre-eclampsia and 701 controls. Samples were taken, on average, 22 weeks before the diagnosis.


METHODS
Median inhibin A level.


RESULTS
The median inhibin A level in the cases was 2.01 multiples of the gestation-specific median in the controls, a statistically significant elevation (P < 0.001). Twenty-three (82%) had levels above the normal median; 19 (68%), 15 (54%), and 11 (39%) exceeded the normal 75th, 90th and 95th centiles, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
In pre-eclampsia the maternal serum inhibin A level can be increased months before the onset of symptoms. This provides an opportunity to study the early natural history of the disease and possibly to conduct treatment trials.
Cuckle
H
H
Centre for Reproduction, Growth and Development, University of Leeds, UK.
Sehmi
I
I
Jones
R
R
D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007265:Inhibins / Q000097:blood*; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second; D011296:Prenatal Diagnosis / Q000379:methods; D012189:Retrospective Studies
D015415:Biomarkers; D007265:Inhibins