Placental and maternal serum inhibin A in patients with preeclampsia and small-for-gestational-age

• Published in: The journal of obstetrics and gynaecology research 2011-10, Vol.37 (10), p.1290-1296
• Main Authors: Shen, Zongji, Cai, Li-Yi, Suprapto, Iwan-Satyagraha, Shenoy, Pooja, Zhou, Xiping
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Case-Control Studies; Female; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Infant, Small for Gestational Age - metabolism; inhibin A; Inhibins - metabolism; placenta; Pre-Eclampsia - metabolism; preeclampsia; Pregnancy; serum; Severity of Illness Index; small-for-gestational-age
• ISSN: 1341-8076; 1447-0756
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1447-0756.2010.01513.x

Aim:  The purpose of this study was to determine the levels of inhibin A simultaneously in the maternal serum and placental extract in preeclampsia (PE) with or without small‐for‐gestational‐age (SGA) and normal controls at term, and to evaluate the relationship among changes in serum and placental inhibin A according to the severity of PE and PE with or without SGA. Material and Methods:  This study involved 40 pregnant women; normal (n = 20), and PE (n = 20), the latter of who were classified into (i) mild (n = 10) and severe PE (n = 10); (ii) PE with SGA (n = 7) and without SGA (n = 13). Inhibin A concentrations were quantified by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in the maternal serum and placental extract. Inhibin‐α subunit in the placenta was stained by immunohistochemistry (IHC), and its intensity was graded by a semiquantitative scoring method. Results:  There was a positive correlation in inhibin A concentrations between the serum and placental extract (r = 0.57, P