Is mid-trimester maternal serum inhibin-A a marker of preeclampsia or intrauterine growth restriction?
BACKGROUND
To evaluate maternal serum Multiple of Median inhibin-A in mid-trimester blood samples of women who subsequently developed preeclampsia, gestational hypertension and intrauterine growth restriction and controls. Also, to verify whether this marker is related to these pathological conditions.


METHODS
Retrospective analysis of serum samples from a bank of stored serum, originally taken for Down's syndrome screening over 15-18 weeks, was performed. The sample consisted of 20 patients with gestational hypertension, 20 patients with preeclampsia, 10 patients with intrauterine growth restriction and 40 controls.


RESULTS
No statistically significant difference of inhibin-A Multiple of Median values between the control group and the preeclamptic or gestational hypertension groups was found. There was a statistically significant elevation in the intrauterine growth restriction group in comparison with the control group, and the same was true for each subgroup of gestational hypertension and preeclampsia complicated by intrauterine growth restriction.


CONCLUSIONS
Elevated maternal inhibin-A concentrations in the second trimester are strongly associated with intrauterine growth restriction and not with preeclampsia, as previously stated.
D'Anna
Rosario
R
Department of Gynecology, University of Messina, Italy. rosariodanna@tin.it
Baviera
Giovanni
G
Corrado
Francesco
F
Leonardi
Iolanda
I
Buemi
Michele
M
Jasonni
Valerio M
VM
D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D007265:Inhibins / Q000097:blood*; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011247:Pregnancy; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second / Q000097:blood; D012189:Retrospective Studies
D015415:Biomarkers; D007265:Inhibins