title: Adenosine deaminase activity in serum and placenta of patients with anembryonic pregnancies and missed abortions.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study is to assess adenosine deaminase (ADA) activity in the serum and placenta of patients with missed abortions, anembryonic pregnancies, and voluntary abortions.
  
  
  METHODS
  Nine cases of anembryonic pregnancies and 21 cases of missed abortions (group I, n=30), and voluntary dilatation and curettage cases (group II, n=30) were included in this prospective study. Adenosine deaminase activity in serum and placental tissue was measured according to the Giusti method. The t-test was applied for statistical evaluation with the help of SPSS 9.0.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean serum ADA level in the abortion cases (group I) was 9.13+/-1.59 U/l, while it was 17.06+/-6.5 U/l in the control group (group II; p<0.05). Also, the mean placental ADA levels in abortion cases and in the control group were 11.8+/-4.7 nmol/mg protein/min and 25.8+/-6.6 nmol/mg protein/min respectively (p<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that ADA may have a modulatory role in the implantation and duration of pregnancy. Low levels of ADA in early pregnancy may lead to an accumulation of products toxic to DNA and to the subsequent loss of the pregnancy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sahinbey Medical Center, Gaziantep University, Milli Egemenlik Bulvari 32/6, 27060, Gaziantep, Turkey. irfankutlar@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Irfan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kutlar
authors.forename: Fuat
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Aksoy
authors.forename: Oya
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Koyluoglu
authors.forename: Mete Gurol
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Ugur
authors.forename: Ozcan
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Balat
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tarakcioglu
mesh_terms: D000030:Abortion, Missed / Q000201:enzymology*; D000243:Adenosine Deaminase / Q000097:blood*; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010920:Placenta / Q000201:enzymology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011261:Pregnancy Trimester, First; D011446:Prospective Studies
chemical_list: D000243:Adenosine Deaminase