title: Predictive value of pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A (PAPP-A) and free beta-hCG on fetal growth restriction: results of a prospective study.
abstract: Low levels of plasmatic pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A (PAPP-A) and high levels of free-beta human chorionic gonadotropin (beta-hCG) could influence the outcome of pregnancy. The objective of this study is to assess the correlation between PAPP-A and free beta-hCG and birth weight.
  
  
  
  Prospective follow-up study performed on 3332 patients in the first trimester of pregnancy who were subjected to a screening test focused on evaluation of fetal aneuploidy (SCA-TEST). The values of PAPP-A and free beta-hCG were both analyzed as raw values and subsequently converted to a multiple of the median (MoM). Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 17.0.1 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, USA).
  
  
  
  The incidence of "small for gestational age" in patients with PAPP-A MoM <1st and <5th ‰ was statistically significant (12 and 9.8 %; p < 0.0001). Also statistically significant data have been highlighted about free beta MoM > 95th ‰ (7 %; p = 0.03). The values of PAPP-A MoM > 99th ‰ are significantly correlated with an increased risk of "large for gestational age" (16.7 %; p < 0.0001).
  
  
  
  Our study demonstrates that specific values of PAPP-A and free beta-hCG could identify the risk of low or high birth weight since the first trimester of pregnancy.
authors.affiliation: Division of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Altamedica Main Center, Viale Liegi, 45, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Pietro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cignini
authors.affiliation: Division of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Maggio Savasta
authors.affiliation: Division of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Department of Surgery, S. Bambino Hospital, University of Catania, Via Torresino, 22, Catania, Italy. docferdi@hotmail.it.
authors.forename: Ferdinando Antonio
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Gulino
authors.affiliation: Division of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Department of Surgery, S. Bambino Hospital, University of Catania, Via Torresino, 22, Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Salvatore Giovanni
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Vitale
authors.affiliation: Division of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Altamedica Main Center, Viale Liegi, 45, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Lucia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mangiafico
authors.affiliation: Division of Medical Genetics, Altamedica Main Center, Viale Liegi, 45, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Alvaro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mesoraca
authors.affiliation: Altamedica Main Center, Viale Liegi, 45, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Giorlandino
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000782:Aneuploidy; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001724:Birth Weight; D018997:Chorionic Gonadotropin, beta Subunit, Human / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation / Q000097:blood*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007236:Infant, Small for Gestational Age / Q000097:blood; D011247:Pregnancy; D011261:Pregnancy Trimester, First / Q000097:blood; D011266:Pregnancy-Associated Plasma Protein-A / Q000032:analysis*; D011446:Prospective Studies
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D018997:Chorionic Gonadotropin, beta Subunit, Human; D011266:Pregnancy-Associated Plasma Protein-A
keywords: Birth weight; Fetal aneuploidy; Free-beta human chorionic gonadotropin; Intra-uterine growth restriction; Pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A; Preterm labor