Growth hormone binding protein in normal and aneuploid pregnancy: a paradoxical decrease in trisomy 18.
OBJECTIVE
To explore whether abnormalities in growth hormone binding protein (GHBP) may underlie the growth restriction associated with fetal aneuploidy.


METHODS
A retrospective casecontrol study.


METHODS
Monash Medical Centre. Clayton, Victoria, Australia.


METHODS
Twenty-one trisomy 18, and 30 trisomy 21 pregnancies, and 170 chromosomally normal pregnancies at 15-18 weeks of gestation representing three to five controls per case matched for source, gestation and duration of storage.


METHODS
GHBP was measured using a ligand immunofunctional assay


RESULTS
In the chromosomally normal pregnancies GHBP levels decreased slightly but significantly across the narrow gestational window studied. Compared with controls, levels of GHBP, expressed as median (95% CI) multiples of the median (MoM). in the trisomy 21 pregnancies were similar, 1.0 (0.92-1.39) MoM and 1.27 (1.04-1.50) MoM, respectively; P = 0.061 (Mann-Whitney U test) but were significantly reduced in the trisomy 18 pregnancies, 0.68 (0.5 1-0.84) MoM: P = 0.0014 (Mann-Whitney U test).


CONCLUSIONS
These data suggest that decreased levels of maternal growth hormone binding protein, and by implication growth hormone receptor complement, may underlie the early severe growth restriction that is characteristic of trisomy 18.
Wallace
E M
EM
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia.
D'Antona
D
D
Veveris-Lowe
T
T
Crossley
J A
JA
Barnard
R
R
D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002887:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 18 / Q000235:genetics*; D004314:Down Syndrome / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000097:blood; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014314:Trisomy
D002352:Carrier Proteins; C051815:somatotropin-binding protein