Assay of a placental protein to determine fetal risk.

Abstract

Summary and conclusionsPlasma concentrations and total amounts of pregnancy associated plasma protein A were determined in 272 patients at 34 weeks' gestation by immunoelectrophoretic assay. The mean plasma concentration and mean total amount of this protein were closely related (r=0 9643) and were significantly raised in patients who subsequently developed pre-eclampsia (28 patients), went into premature labour (12), or suffered from antepartum haemorrhage (10). Mean values in all patients delivering growth-retarded babies were also raised, but when the results for such patients who also had other complications were excluded there were no differences between the sets of means.The assays were easily performed, and they may be a useful technique for screening pregnant women to detect those at risk of developing pre-eclamptic toxaemia, although the full potential of these assays cannot be realised until the protein's function is known.

Pregnancy-associated and placental proteins in the placental tissue of normal pregnant women and patients with pre-eclampsia at term

“…However, some discrepancy has remained (16) and PAPP-A, as well as SP1, have not been investigated further. Following a preliminary study (17), we were able to confirm that serum PAPP-A but not SP1 levels were elevated in pre-eclampsia patients consistent with previous reports (14,15,18).…”

“…Raised PAPP-A concentrations in pre-eclampsia have been reported earlier (14,15). However, some discrepancy has remained (16) and PAPP-A, as well as SP1, have not been investigated further.…”

The relationship between first-trimester pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A levels and intrapartum fetal distress development

“…PAPP-A, which was first obtained from the plasma of pregnant women in 1974, is a protein released from the placenta, and its concentration in maternal blood reflects placental activity (9,10). PAPP-A is a specific protease for insulin-like growth factor binding protein-4 (IGFBP-4), and thus plays a role in fetal growth and the development and many physiopathologic events related to IGF-1 and -2 (11).…”

A comparative study of the clinical use of four placental proteins in the third trimester

“…Opinion is divided on this subject, observations to the effect that low maternal hPL some workers (including our own group) having levels are associated with intrauterine growth shown an association [4,7,12,23,25], while retardation [13]. Surprisingly, SP1 levels were others have not [8]. A possible explanation lies in not found to be of great value in the present methodological differences.…”