title: Serum pentraxin-3 levels at 11 to 14 weeks' gestation: association with maternal and placental characteristics.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Pentraxin (PTX)-3 is an inflammatory molecule that may be increased in the first trimester in pregnancies with subsequent preeclampsia. We measured first-trimester serum PTX-3 and correlated levels with maternal/placental factors related to placental development.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospectively enrolled women had ultrasound, physical examination, and blood draw at 11-14 weeks. PTX-3 determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was related to maternal age, parity, race, body mass index (BMI), mean arterial blood pressure (MAP), smoking/caffeine, and uterine/umbilical artery Doppler pulsatility index (PI).
  
  
  RESULTS
  In 111 patients PTX-3 levels ranged from 0.2-13.8 ng/mL. Spearman correlation between PTX-3 and gestational age (rho = 0.096), maternal age (rho = -0.049), BMI (rho = -0.07), MAP (rho = -0.085), mean uterine artery PI (rho = 0.150), and umbilical artery PI (rho = -0.021) was nonsignificant (all P > .05). Similarly, PTX-3 distribution was unaffected by smoking/caffeine use, BMI >30, MAP >100 mm Hg, or uterine artery notching (P > .05 for all).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  First-trimester PTX-3 is unrelated to maternal characteristics and placental Doppler.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Ahmet A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Baschat
authors.forename: Tania L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Kasdaglis
authors.forename: Graham W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Aberdeen
authors.forename: Ozhan M
authors.initials: OM
authors.lastname: Turan
authors.forename: Jerome L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Kopelman
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Atlas
authors.forename: Chuka
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jenkins
authors.forename: Miriam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Blitzer
authors.forename: Christopher R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Harman
mesh_terms: D000209:Acute-Phase Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D010920:Placenta / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D011247:Pregnancy; D011261:Pregnancy Trimester, First / Q000097:blood*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011673:Pulsatile Flow / Q000502:physiology; D000683:Serum Amyloid P-Component / Q000032:analysis*; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal; D000099153:Pentraxins
chemical_list: D000209:Acute-Phase Proteins; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D000683:Serum Amyloid P-Component; D000099153:Pentraxins