Maternal serum and amniotic fluid inhibin A levels in women who subsequently develop severe preeclampsia

J Korean Med Sci. 2006 Jun;21(3):452-6. doi: 10.3346/jkms.2006.21.3.452.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether maternal serum (MS) and amniotic fluid (AF) inhibin A levels are elevated in patients who subsequently develop severe preecalmpsia, and to investigate the correlation between MS and AF inhibin A levels in the second trimester. The study included 40 patients who subsequently developed severe preecalmpsia and 80 normal pregnant women. Inhibin A levels in MS and AF were measured with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The MS and AF inhibin A levels in patients who developed severe preeclampsia were significantly higher than those in the control group (both for p<0.001). There was a positive correlation between MS and AF inhibin A levels in patients who developed severe preeclampsia (r=0.397, p=0.011), but not in the control group (r=0.185, p=0.126). The best cutoff values of MS and AF inhibin A levels for the prediction of severe preeclampsia were 427 pg/mL and 599 pg/mL, respectively; the estimated ORs that were associated with these cut-off values were 9.95 (95% CI 3.8-25.9, p<0.001) and 6.0 (95% CI 2.3-15.8, p<0.001). An elevated level of inhibin A in MS and AF at the time of second trimester amniocentesis may be a risk factor for the subsequent development of severe preeclampsia.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Amniocentesis
  • Amniotic Fluid / metabolism*
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Female
  • Gestational Age
  • Humans
  • Inhibins / biosynthesis*
  • Inhibins / blood*
  • Maternal Age
  • Middle Aged
  • Pre-Eclampsia / blood*
  • Pre-Eclampsia / metabolism*
  • Pregnancy
  • Pregnancy Outcome
  • Pregnancy Trimester, Second
  • Risk Factors

Substances

  • inhibin A
  • Inhibins