Assessment of maternal serum sialic acid levels in preterm versus term labor: a prospective-controlled clinical study.
OBJECTIVE
To compare total serum sialic acid (SA) levels between singleton pregnant women diagnosed with preterm labor between 24th and 36th weeks of pregnancy, singleton pregnant women at term, and their gestational age-matched controls.


METHODS
Thirty pregnants diagnosed with preterm labor (group I), 30 gestational age-matched control pregnants (group II), 30 pregnants with labor at term (group III), and 30 gestational age-matched control pregnants (group IV) were enrolled. Detailed history, demographic data (age, gravidity, parity, abortion), ultrasound parameters, cervical dilatation and effacement, fetal tococardiography, routine laboratory tests, and total SA levels were assessed.


RESULTS
There was no statistically significant difference between the parameters other than SA. SA levels of the preterm labor group (group I) were significantly higher than the other three groups.


CONCLUSIONS
We may suggest that pathways including SA or molecules containing SA in subclinical infection without the clinical manifestations of apparent infection may be involved in the pathogenesis of preterm birth. Future longitudinal studies are needed to investigate prediction performance and to better understand the role of SA in molecular mechanisms leading to preterm labor.
Tip Fakultesi, Kadin Hastaliklari ve Dogum Anabilim Dali, Sahinbey Uygulama ve Arastirma Hastanesi, Gaziantep University, Sahinbey, Gaziantep, Turkey. metegurolugur@hotmail.com
Mete Gurol
MG
Ugur
Naciye
N
Kurtul
Ozcan
O
Balat
Melek
M
Ekici
Seval
S
Kul
D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007752:Obstetric Labor, Premature / Q000097:blood*; D011247:Pregnancy; D012794:Sialic Acids / Q000097:blood*; D055815:Young Adult
D015415:Biomarkers; D012794:Sialic Acids