title: Is mid-trimester maternal serum inhibin-A a marker of preeclampsia or intrauterine growth restriction?
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology, University of Messina, Italy. rosariodanna@tin.it
authors.forename: Rosario
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: D'Anna
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Baviera
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Corrado
authors.forename: Iolanda
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Leonardi
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Buemi
authors.forename: Valerio M
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Jasonni
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D007265:Inhibins