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Decreased plasma levels of metastin in early pregnancy are associated with small for gestational age neonates
Author(s) -
Smets Eva M. L.,
Deurloo Koen L.,
Go Attie T. J. I.,
van Vugt John M. G.,
Blankenstein Marinus A.,
Oudejans Cees B. M.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
prenatal diagnosis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.956
H-Index - 97
eISSN - 1097-0223
pISSN - 0197-3851
DOI - 10.1002/pd.1969
Subject(s) - medicine , small for gestational age , gestational age , venipuncture , obstetrics , pregnancy , gestation , first trimester , biology , anesthesia , genetics
Objective To investigate whether pregnancies with small for gestational age (SGA) neonates, defined as customized birth weight below the 10th centile, are associated with altered levels of metastin in maternal plasma in the first trimester. Study Design Maternal blood was obtained between 8 and 14 weeks of pregnancy. Levels of metastin were measured in pregnancies with ( n = 31) or without SGA‐neonates ( n = 31), matched for gestational age at venipuncture. Measurement of β‐hCG was included to study the influence of gestational age and placental volume on plasma levels of the measured markers. Results Metastin was significantly lower in SGA‐pregnancies compared to an equal number of matched uneventful pregnancies (metastin: 1376 ± 1317 pmol/L vs 2035 ± 1260 pmol/L, p = 0.035; mean ± standard deviation). β‐hCG levels were not different. Conclusion Metastin is significantly lower in maternal plasma in the first trimester, in pregnancies with SGA‐neonates. It might therefore be used in combination with other markers for risk estimation of growth impairment in the first trimester. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.