The concentration of alpha 1-antitrypsin in the maternal serum after delivery of normal and small for gestational age infants.
BACKGROUND
alpha 1-antitrypsin (A-1-AT) is an acute-phase protein. It is present in plasma and other extracellular fluids and in human trophoblastic tissue. It accounts for 80 to 90 per cent of antiprotease reactions occurring in plasma. It has the ability to greatly affect enzyme activity and plays an important role in immunomodulatory processes.


METHODS
The purpose of the study was to determine the plasma concentration of A-1-AT in mothers giving birth to hypotrophic (small for gestational age, SGA), and eutrophic (appropriate for gestational age, AGA) infants. 33 women who gave birth to SGA infants and 36 women who gave birth to AGA infants participated in the study. The control group consisted of 30 non-pregnant women who were of reproductive age. All women gave birth at term. To measure A-1-AT concentration, we used the diffusion method described by Mancini et al.


RESULTS
The highest concentration of A-1-AT (379 mg/dl) was found in women giving birth to SGA infants, compared with 345 mg/dl for women giving birth to AGA infants. In the control group, the concentration was found to be 270 mg/dl.


CONCLUSIONS
Statistical analysis of the results showed a significant difference between the two groups of women gave birth and between each parturient compared with control subjects. Increasing concentration of A-1-AT in the plasma of women in labor may be the result of an acute phase reaction triggered by the stress during parturition. Additionally, increased concentrations of A-1-AT in women who gave birth to SGA rather than AGA infants suggest that it may play a role in the processes of intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR).
Wasiluk
A
A
Institute of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Medical Academy, Białystok, Poland.
Dabrowska
M
M
Jaworski
S
S
Prokopowicz
J
J
D000210:Acute-Phase Reaction / Q000097:blood; D000328:Adult; D001724:Birth Weight; D005260:Female; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007236:Infant, Small for Gestational Age; D049590:Postpartum Period / Q000097:blood; D011247:Pregnancy; D012016:Reference Values; D000515:alpha 1-Antitrypsin / Q000378:metabolism*
D000515:alpha 1-Antitrypsin