We found a match
Your institution may have access to this item. Find your institution then sign in to continue.
- Title
BIOCHEMICAL MARKERS OF ADVERSE PREGNANCY OUTCOMES IN FETAL BLOOD.
- Authors
Nikolić-Đorđević, Aleksandra
- Abstract
Within the past decade, significant progress has been made with regard to improving maternal and newborn health. Biochemical markers in fetal blood are assessed after diagnostic cordocentesis (which was primarily collected for genetic screening), or immediately prior to fetal transfusion. Concentrations of the following diagnostic markers are measured in this study: endothelin-1, leptin, beta-2-microglobulin and the inflammatory marker IL-6. Endothelin-1 is a potent vasoconstrictor, induced by rising venous pressure and rising shear stress. Subjects involved in this study included women with anti-DRh alloimmunized pregnancies, and fetal blood sampled pre- and post-transfusions. Rapid expansion of fetal intravascular volume by intravenous transfusion of packed red blood cells with a high hematocrit enhances fetal endothelin levels. Beta-2-microglobulin is a ubiquitous cell surface protein, associated with the major histocompatibility complex. It is a potential marker of Graft-versus-Host Disease. The median concentrations of beta-2-microglobulin are significantly higher in fetuses with prior transfusions compared with non-anemic fetuses. Evaluation of fetal beta-2-microglobulin might prove useful in identifying fetuses with potentially severe Graft-versus-Host or Host-versus-Graft reaction to cell transplants. Leptin is a recently discovered circulating hormone that coordinates energy intake and expenditure in adults. Leptin levels in the umbilical cord blood positively correlate with neonatal birth weight, suggesting a role in adipose homeostasis in utero. In this study, leptin levels were measured in fetal and paired maternal plasma in the second half of gestation, in pregnancies complicated with Down syndrome and euploid pregnancies. In euploid pregnancies, fetal leptin levels were significantly lower than in corresponding maternal values, but increased across gestation. Down syndrome was associated with significantly lower fetal leptin levels. It is possible that lower fetal leptin levels could reflect the persistent immaturity of the pattern of placental peptide hormone synthesis in fetal Down syndrome. Recent evidence strongly implicates the inflammatory response to intrauterine infection in the pathogenesis of neonatal brain and lung injury. The frequency and clinical significance of systemic inflammatory responses were defined by elevated plasma interleukin-6 concentrations in fetuses with preterm labor. A fetal plasma interleukin-6 cut-off value of 11 pg/mg was used to define the presence of a systemic inflammatory response.
- Subjects
BIOMARKERS; CORD blood; PREGNANCY; PREGNANT women; NEWBORN infants; BIOCHEMISTRY
- Publication
Jugoslovenska Medicinska Biohemija / Yugoslav Medical Biochemistry, 2006, Vol 25, Issue 4, p392
- ISSN
0354-3447
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.2298/JMB0604391N