Fetal protein loss in gastroschisis as an explanation of associated morbidity.
OBJECTIVE
Our purpose was to examine whether protein deficiency in utero develops in fetuses with gastroschisis.


METHODS
Twelve infants with prenatally diagnosed gastroschisis were compared with 29 control infants without gastroschisis and 2 infants with exomphalos who were delivered between 35 and 42 weeks of gestation. The groups were compared for birth weight, cord serum total protein and amniotic fluid total protein, and alpha-fetoprotein concentrations. The amniotic fluid samples were collected when the amniotic membranes were ruptured either during cesarean delivery or at artificial rupture of the membranes, and umbilical cord blood was obtained after delivery.


RESULTS
In the 10 cases of gastroschisis in which cord serum total protein was measured, the median concentration was 51 g/L (range, 43-61 g/L) and was significantly lower than the median level of 62 g/L (range, 47-78 g/L) in the control group (P <.001). In the 8 cases of gastroschisis in which amniotic fluid total protein and alpha-fetoprotein concentrations were measured, the respective median levels were 5.1 g/L (range, 4.3-18.4 g/L) and 5.0 g/L (range, 2.4-13.2 g/L), which were significantly higher than the median levels of 2.0 g/L (range, 0.5-5.4 g/L) and 0.8 g/L (range, 0.5-1.7 g/L) in the control group (P <.0001). The ratio of amniotic fluid to cord serum total protein was significantly higher than that in the cases of exomphalos and in the control group (P <.001). The median birth weight in the neonates with gastroschisis was 2400 g (range, 1192-3155 g) and was significantly lower than the median value of 3535 g (range, 2520-4680 g) in the control group (P <.0001).


CONCLUSIONS
Fetuses with gastroschisis have protein loss that could partly explain associated morbidity. However, whether this is a major contributor to poor fetal outcome remains to be shown.
Carroll
S G
SG
Fetal Medicine Unit, St Michael's Hospital, Bristol, United Kingdom.
Kuo
P Y
PY
Kyle
P M
PM
Soothill
P W
PW
D000653:Amniotic Fluid / Q000378:metabolism; D001724:Birth Weight; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D005312:Fetal Blood; D005313:Fetal Death; D005333:Fetus / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000378:metabolism; D020139:Gastroschisis / Q000196:embryology* / Q000473:pathology; D006554:Hernia, Umbilical / Q000196:embryology; D006801:Humans; D007226:Infant Mortality; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D009994:Osmolar Concentration; D011488:Protein Deficiency / Q000196:embryology*; D011506:Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000032:analysis
D001798:Blood Proteins; D011506:Proteins; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins