title: Examination of serum pregnancy-associated plasma protein A clinical value in acute coronary syndrome prediction and monitoring.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Chronic vascular inflammatory process promotes and intensifies all atherogenic events. The aim of this research was to estimate the clinical value of pregnancy-associated plasma protein A (PAPP-A) measurement associated with plaque destabilization and rupture in prediction and monitoring of acute coronary syndromes (ACS) as well as to assess the predictive value of this biomarker in comparison to traditional myocardial infarction (MI) risk markers.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study included 119 patients in 2 investigated groups and one control group. PAPP-A assay was performed using manual ELISA kit, DRG. All other parameters were determined using automatic analyzers: Olympus and Dade Behring.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A statistically significant difference between PAPP-A concentration median value was found in the investigated group MI individuals' serum and control group individuals' serum (11.42 ng/ml and 7.22 ng/ml respectively, p = 0.003). PAPP-A assay had the highest specificity (83.3%) and sensitivity (53.8%), and therefore the highest clinical value. In patients with clinically and laboratory confirmed MI we proved that PAPP-A serum level is a clinically useful biomarker in ACS prediction, better than C-reactive protein (hsCRP) and fibrinogen (FBG) level.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The highest diagnostic efficiency for ACS prediction was proved for simultaneous panel assays consisting of 2-3 parameters (PAPP-A - hsCRP, PAPP-A - FBG, PAPP-A - hsCRP - FBG), while PAPP-A itself does not show characteristics necessary for it to be used as a biomarker for MI dynamic monitoring. It is possible that prothrombotic component is mainly responsible for repeated major adverse cardiac events, more than inflammatory process.
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine and Clinical Biochemistry, Medical University of Lodz, Poland.
authors.forename: Rafał Nikodem
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Wlazeł
authors.forename: Jacek
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rysz
authors.forename: Marek
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Paradowski
keywords: acute coronary syndrome; biomarker; myocardial infarction prediction; pregnancy-associated plasma protein A