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First trimester maternal serum PAPP-A and free β-HCG levels in hyperemesis gravidarum
Aysel Uysal Derbent1, Filiz Fatma Yanik, Serap Simavli
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Fatih University School of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey. ayseluysal@hotmail.com
Objective:
To evaluate whether hyperemesis gravidarum (HG) affects first-trimester maternal serum PAPP-A and free β-hCG levels.
Method:
An observational study was conducted in 115 cases of HG and 110 control pregnancies who attended the first-trimester prenatal screening program between January 2006 and July 2010.
Results:
Maternal serum TSH levels were lower and free T4, and transaminases (ALT, AST) levels were higher in pregnancies complicated with HG compared with controls (p < 0.05 for all). In HG cases, median values of maternal serum PAPP-A were significantly higher with respect to normal pregnancies (1.2 vs 1.0 MoM; p = 0.009). Similarly, median values of free β-hCG were 1.3 MoM in HG pregnancies and 1.0 MoM in controls (p = 0.006). Multivariate analysis revealed that PAPP-A and hCG were independently associated with HG after controlling for TSH, free T4, AST, and ALT.
Conclusion:
HG is associated with elevated levels of PAPP-A and free β-hCG, and such changes are independent of serum indicators of thyroid and liver function.
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