Placental protein-13 and pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A as first trimester screening markers for hypertensive disorders and small for gestational age outcomes.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the role of placenta protein 13 (PP13) and pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A (PAPP-A) in hypertensive disorders and small for gestational age (SGA) during first trimester of pregnancy.


METHODS
In this case-control study, first trimester serum samples (11(+0) to 13(+6) weeks) were retrieved from frozen storage of which 452 were from normal pregnancies and 47 samples were identified to have pregnancies with at least one of the following adverse outcomes: SGA, preeclampsia (PE), hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, and low platelets (HELLP), or gestational hypertension (GH). PP13 concentrations were measured by a new AutoDELFIA method. Levels of PAPP-A were measured for a first trimester screening program using Kryptor analyzer.


RESULTS
First trimester levels of PAPP-A are significantly lower in cases of SGA, PE, and most subgroups including HELLP. Levels of PP13 were not found to differ between control and affected pregnancies.


CONCLUSIONS
PP13 needs to be studied further as our results contrast the majority of previous studies.
Stamatopoulou
Anastasia
A
Prenatal Research Unit, Clinical Biochemistry Department, King George Hospital, Goodmayes, UK.
Cowans
Nicholas J
NJ
Matwejew
Elisabet
E
von Kaisenberg
Constantine
C
Spencer
Kevin
K
D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation / Q000175:diagnosis; D037161:Galectins / Q000097:blood*; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011247:Pregnancy; D011257:Pregnancy Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D011261:Pregnancy Trimester, First; D011266:Pregnancy-Associated Plasma Protein-A / Q000378:metabolism*; D011296:Prenatal Diagnosis
D015415:Biomarkers; D037161:Galectins; C038195:LGALS13 protein, human; D011257:Pregnancy Proteins; D011266:Pregnancy-Associated Plasma Protein-A