title: Glycodelin serum levels in women with ectopic pregnancy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Aim of our study was to determine circulating levels of glycodelin for biochemical monitoring of women with vaginal bleeding and/or abdominal pain in early pregnancy. The objective was, using glycodelin as a biochemical parameter, to distinguish between incomplete abortion and ectopic pregnancy in early weeks of gestation.
  
  
  METHODS
  In 169 women with a first trimester pregnancy, a single serum measurement of maternal glycodelin was taken. Patients were divided into groups according to the clinical and/or ultrasonografic findings at the time of hospitalisation:ectopic pregnancy, incomplete abortion and control.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Glycodelin serum levels were significantly lower in patients with ectopic pregnancy comparable with intact pregnancy and incomplete abortion. There was no difference in serum levels between intact pregnancy and incomplete abortion.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Glycodelin might represent a biochemical parameter in the differential diagnosis between ectopic pregnancies and incomplete abortion. The number of patients was too small to give reference ranges for pregnancy weeks.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Cologne, Kerpener Strasse 34, 50931, Köln, Germany. dfoth@t-online.de
authors.forename: Dolores
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Foth
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Römer
mesh_terms: D015746:Abdominal Pain; D000027:Abortion, Incomplete / Q000097:blood; D000328:Adult; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D000071816:Glycodelin; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011257:Pregnancy Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D011271:Pregnancy, Ectopic / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011274:Pregnancy, Tubal / Q000097:blood; D014592:Uterine Hemorrhage
chemical_list: D000071816:Glycodelin; D006023:Glycoproteins; C045246:PAEP protein, human; D011257:Pregnancy Proteins