Maternal serum activin A is not elevated before preeclampsia in women who are at high risk

The purpose of this study was to determine whether, in women who are at high risk of the development of preeclampsia, serum activin A concentrations are elevated before the disease and whether activin A is a useful predictor of preeclampsia.

Sera were collected on five occasions throughout pregnancy from women with chronic hypertension, renal disease, or previous early-onset preeclampsia (n = 80 women). Women were classified as control subjects (normotensive or stable chronic hypertension), gestational hypertensive, or preeclamptic (de novo or superimposed). Serum activin A concentrations were measured by immunoassay. Differences in activin A concentrations between groups were analyzed with the use of a mixed-models procedure; screening test characteristics were calculated.

Twenty-six women (33%) had gestational hypertension, and 17 women (21%) had preeclampsia or superimposed preeclampsia. Serum activin A levels increased with gestation in all groups (P =.0001), but there were no significant difference in activin A levels between groups (P =.75).

In women who were at high risk of the development of preeclampsia, serum activin A levels are not elevated with preeclampsia. Activin A is not a useful predictor of preeclampsia in this setting.