title: Accuracy of diagnosing double corpora lutea and twin pregnancy by measuring serum progesterone and bovine pregnancy-associated glycoprotein 1 in the first trimester of gestation in dairy cows.
abstract: Progesterone (P4) and bovine pregnancy-associated glycoprotein 1 (bPAG-1) concentrations during gestation are dependent on the number of CL and fetuses, respectively. The objective of this present study was to measure and evaluate the usefulness of measuring the P4 and bPAG-1 concentrations in cases of single versus twin pregnancies and one versus two CL at the first 4 months of gestation. We hypothesized that both the number of the CL and the number of fetus might have an effect on P4 and pregnancy protein concentrations, and we can set up clinically useful threshold levels to predict twin gestations. Eighty-four Holstein-Friesian dairy cows were enrolled in this prospective observational clinical trial. Blood was collected at time point 1: between Days 29 and 42, time point 2: between Days 57 and 70, time point 3: between Days 85 and 98, and time point 4: between Days 113 and 126 of gestation, and bPAG-1 and P4 concentrations were measured. Binary logistic regression analyzing serum P4 concentrations differed at time point 2 compared with baseline level, but the area under the curve (AUC) had low sensitivity. The bPAG-1 concentrations were statistically different at each time point of gestation. The AUC cutoff values of serum bPAG-1 concentrations were sufficiently sensitive to differentiate between twin gestations from singleton ones. At time points 3 (cutoff value of 3.4 ng/mL) and 4 (cutoff value of 56.5 ng/mL), statistically significant differences with low sensitivity, high specificity, and a high AUC were found. On the basis of these results, the diagnosis of twin pregnancy using pregnancy protein measurements is clinically insufficient before Day 85 of gestation; however, the ability to confirm the early twin pregnancy diagnosis with bPAG-1 measurements appears to be promising. To achieve high sensitivity, further studies are required.
authors: Department and Clinic for Production Animals, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Szent István University, Üllő-Dóra major, Hungary; MTA-SZIE Large Animal Clinical Research Group, Üllő-Dóra major, Hungary. Electronic address: Szelenyi.Zoltan@aotk.szie.hu.
authors: Zoltán
authors: Z
authors: Szelényi
authors: MTA-SZIE Large Animal Clinical Research Group, Üllő-Dóra major, Hungary.
authors: Attila
authors: A
authors: Répási
authors: Laboratory of Animal Endocrinology and Reproduction, Fundamental and Applied Research for Animals & Health (FARAH), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liege, Liege, Belgium.
authors: Noelita Melo
authors: NM
authors: de Sousa
authors: Laboratory of Animal Endocrinology and Reproduction, Fundamental and Applied Research for Animals & Health (FARAH), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liege, Liege, Belgium.
authors: Jean Francois
authors: JF
authors: Beckers
authors: Department and Clinic for Production Animals, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Szent István University, Üllő-Dóra major, Hungary; MTA-SZIE Large Animal Clinical Research Group, Üllő-Dóra major, Hungary.
authors: Otto
authors: O
authors: Szenci
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle / Q000502:physiology*; D003338:Corpus Luteum / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011257:Pregnancy Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D011258:Pregnancy Tests / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D011261:Pregnancy Trimester, First / Q000097:blood; D059285:Pregnancy, Twin; D011374:Progesterone / Q000097:blood*; D012372:ROC Curve; D014463:Ultrasonography
chemical_list: D011257:Pregnancy Proteins; D011374:Progesterone
keywords: Cattle; Pregnancy-associated glycoprotein; Progesterone; RIA; Twin