title: Bioactive to immunoreactive ratio of circulating human chorionic gonadotropin as possible evaluation for the prognosis of threatened abortion.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In an effort to evaluate the prognosis of threatened abortion, we established the ratio of serum human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), as measured by bioassay or radioimmunoassay techniques, of samples from patients with threatened abortion or normal pregnancy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Peripheral blood samples from patients in their first trimester of pregnancy with threatened abortion (n=24), or normal pregnancy (n=12), were assayed for progesterone (RIA), and for immunoactive (DELFIA) and bioactive (mouse Leydig cell testosterone production assay) hCG.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Serum progesterone was not statistically different between the threatened-continuing and the threatened-miscarried groups. The ratio of hCG bioactive/hCG immunoactive (B/I) was significantly lower for the patients of the threatened group that experienced abortion. The B/I ratio for the control and threatened-continuing patients was similar.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The hCG bioactive/hCG immunoactive ratio could be a good indicator of the prognosis of threatened abortion.
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Bioenergética Celular, Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Científicas, Altos de Pipe, Venezuela. mcamejo@usb.ve
authors.forename: María I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Camejo
authors.forename: Fulgencio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Proverbio
authors.forename: Freddy
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Febres
authors.forename: Ysabel C
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Casart
mesh_terms: D000033:Abortion, Threatened / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D011261:Pregnancy Trimester, First / Q000097:blood; D011374:Progesterone / Q000097:blood*; D011379:Prognosis
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D011374:Progesterone