title: Maternal homocysteine level and markers used in first-trimester screening for fetal Down syndrome.
abstract: This study examined possible relationships between homocysteine and markers used in first-trimester screening for Down syndrome. Pregnancies were categorized into 4 groups according to quartile ranking of maternal plasma homocysteine concentration. Of the 595 pregnancies, 147 were assigned to group 1 (homocysteine level 0.6-3.5 μmol/L), 156 to group 2 (homocysteine level 3.6-4.5 μmol/L), 142 to group 3 (homocysteine level 4.6-5.6 μmol/L), and 150 pregnancies to group 4 (homocysteine level 5.7-12.6 μmol/L). No significant difference in mean nuchal translucency and mean free β-human chorionic gonadotropin (free-βhCG) multiples of the median (MoM) levels were observed. However, the mean pregnancy-associated plasma protein A (PAPP-A) MoM levels were significantly decreased in inverse relationship with homocysteine level among all 4 groups (F = 31.127, P < .001). If homocysteine is assayed as part of the first-trimester maternal serum testing, it is important to adjust for homocysteine concentration when using PAPP-A serum level for calculating the risk of fetal aneuploidy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Linkou Medical Center, Taoyuan, Taiwan, Republic of China. pjcheng@cgmh.org.tw
authors.forename: Po-Jen
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Shang-Yu
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Sheng-Wen
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Shaw
authors.forename: Ho-Yen
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Chueh
authors.forename: T'sang-T'ang
authors.initials: TT
authors.lastname: Hsieh
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood*; D018997:Chorionic Gonadotropin, beta Subunit, Human / Q000097:blood; D004314:Down Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D048208:Nuchal Translucency Measurement; D011247:Pregnancy; D011266:Pregnancy-Associated Plasma Protein-A / Q000032:analysis; D011296:Prenatal Diagnosis / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D018997:Chorionic Gonadotropin, beta Subunit, Human; D006710:Homocysteine; D011266:Pregnancy-Associated Plasma Protein-A