title: Extreme elevation of placental alkaline phosphatase as a marker of preterm delivery, placental insufficiency and low birth weight.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Clinical case of extremely elevated levels of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) enzyme detected in the 3rd trimester of gestation, the diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, delivery and puerperium are presented. The paper also offers a review of the currently available bibliographical data of the issue.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The case presents a 23-year-old secundipara with clinical problems in her 3rd trimester, namely a generalized pruritus. The gestation had signs of asymmetrical fetal hypotrophy induced by placental insufficiency. Laboratory tests showed elevated (as much as a 10.5-fold increase) values of alkaline phosphatase enzyme, 94.05% of which was placental isoenzyme. The patient also had clinical symptoms of a preterm delivery. The spontaneous delivery occurred in 36 week of gestation. The postpuerperium values of alkaline phosphatase returned to normal.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The authors point out the potential relationship between elevated placental isoenzyme of alkaline phosphatase levels and placental insufficiency and the onset of a preterm delivery.
authors.affiliation: 2nd Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia. ferianec@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Vladimír
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Ferianec
authors.forename: Lenka
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Linhartová
mesh_terms: D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000378:metabolism*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D058851:GPI-Linked Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000378:metabolism*; D010920:Placenta / Q000201:enzymology / Q000503:physiopathology; D010927:Placental Insufficiency / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis; D011263:Pregnancy Trimester, Third / Q000097:blood; D047928:Premature Birth; D011537:Pruritus / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D058851:GPI-Linked Proteins; D007527:Isoenzymes; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase; C019839:alkaline phosphatase, placental