Correlation between first-trimester uterine artery Doppler indices and maternal serum free beta-human chorionic gonadotropin and pregnancy-associated plasma protein A.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the correlation between first-trimester uterine artery Doppler measurements and maternal serum levels of free beta-hCG and pregnancy-associated plasma protein A (PAPP-A).


METHODS
Observational study.


METHODS
Teaching hospital.


METHODS
Four hundred thirty-three women at 10-14 weeks of gestation.


METHODS
Doppler ultrasound of the uterine arteries. Fluorimetric immunoassays for free beta-hCG and PAPP-A.


METHODS
Uterine artery mean resistance index (RI), pulsatility index (PI), and number of early diastolic notches. Maternal serum levels of free beta-hCG and PAPP-A.


RESULTS
There were 401 uncomplicated pregnancies. In this group, free beta-hCG and PAPP-A did not significantly correlate with uterine artery RI or PI (r values between -0.089 and 0.029, all nonsignificant). Free beta-hCG and PAPP-A levels did not significantly change with the number of notches. Uterine artery resistance and PAPP-A levels were independently correlated with birth weight.


CONCLUSIONS
Preliminary evidence suggests that first-trimester uterine artery Doppler measurements do not correlate with maternal serum levels of free beta-hCG and PAPP-A. This may allow their combined use in multivariate screening for pregnancy complications.
Prefumo
Federico
F
Unità Operativa Ostetricia e Ginecologia, Istituto G. Gaslini, Università di Genova, Genoa, Italy. fprefumo@sgul.ac.uk
Canini
Silvana
S
Casagrande
Valentina
V
Pastorino
Daniela
D
Venturini
Pier Luigi
PL
De Biasio
Pierangela
P
D000328:Adult; D001158:Arteries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D018997:Chorionic Gonadotropin, beta Subunit, Human / Q000097:blood*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011261:Pregnancy Trimester, First / Q000097:blood*; D011266:Pregnancy-Associated Plasma Protein-A / Q000032:analysis*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D018615:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color / Q000379:methods*; D014599:Uterus / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*
D018997:Chorionic Gonadotropin, beta Subunit, Human; D011266:Pregnancy-Associated Plasma Protein-A