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Pregnancy-associated Plasma Protein (pregnancy-associated + plasma_protein)

Distribution by Scientific Domains

Medical Sciences	40%

Selected Abstracts

Pregnancy-associated plasma protein A in a large cohort of Type 1 diabetic patients with and without diabetic nephropathy,a prospective follow-up study

DIABETIC MEDICINE, Issue 12 2007
A. S. Astrup
Abstract Aim Pregnancy-associated plasma protein A (PAPP-A) has been implicated in the aetiology of acute coronary syndromes and carotid and peripheral artherosclerosis. Diabetic nephropathy is characterized by increased cardiovascular risk. We investigated the prognostic value of PAPP-A in a large cohort of Type 1 diabetic patients. Methods In a prospective observational follow-up study, 197 Type 1 diabetic patients with diabetic nephropathy and a matched group of 178 patients with normoalbuminuria were followed for 10.1 (0,10.3) years. PAPP-A was determined at baseline. Results In patients with diabetic nephropathy, plasma PAPP-A was elevated 3.6 (0.4,51.1) mIU/l [median (range)] vs. 2.1 (0.4,46.6) mIU/l in normoalbuminuric patients, P < 0.0001. For acute coronary syndromes, a PAPP-A threshold of 10 mIU/l has been suggested. Thirty-seven patients were above the threshold and of these 13 patients (35%) died, compared with 60 of 338 patients (18%) below the threshold; log rank test P = 0.007. PAPP-A significantly predicted mortality after adjustment for presence of nephropathy; hazard ratio for dying when PAPP-A was above the threshold 2.1 (95% CI 1.13,3.9); P = 0.019. After adjusting for traditional risk factors, the results were attenuated. When only patients with nephropathy were analysed, PAPP-A was significantly predictive of all-cause mortality [P = 0.008; 2.43 (1.26,4.67)] in unadjusted analysis. After adjustment, the predictive value of PAPP-A for all-cause mortality was attenuated (P = 0.064). Conclusion We find PAPP-A to be associated with increased mortality in Type 1 diabetic patients with nephropathy in unadjusted analysis. After adjustment for traditional risk factors, the prognostic value of PAPP-A was no longer significant. [source]

First-trimester Down syndrome screening in women younger than 35 years old and cost-effectiveness analysis in Taiwan population

JOURNAL OF EVALUATION IN CLINICAL PRACTICE, Issue 5 2009
Ching-Yu Chou MD
Summary Objectives, Outcome of the first-trimester Down syndrome screening in younger population was less reported before. We present the outcome of this screening in Taiwanese women younger than 35 years old. We also test whether or not the first-trimester Down syndrome screening of women <35 years of age and women >35 years old routinely receiving amniocentesis is cost-effective compared with all pregnant women screened with this test in the setting of increased maternal age. Methods, From 1999 to 2007, the first-trimester Down syndrome screening including nuchal thickness, pregnancy-associated plasma protein A and free ,-hCG are provided to 10 811 singleton women <35 years of age with the cut-off of 1/270. A cost-effectiveness analysis of young women receiving this screening and older women undergo amniocentesis versus all women undergo this screening was performed in Taiwan population from 1987 to 2006, in which advanced age pregnancies increased from 2.8% to 11.6% of total pregnancies. Results, Detection rates of trisomy 21, trisomy 18, Turner syndrome and other chromosome anormalies in women <35 years of age are 87.5% (14/16), 50% (2/4), 80% (8/10) and 63% (12/19), respectively, with a false-positive rate of 5.5% (590/10 811). As advanced age pregnancies reached 11.6%, the average cost per one case averted for all women screened ranged from $77 204 to $98 421, while the cost ranged from $99 647 to $116 433 for only women <35 years of age receiving this screening. Conclusions, In an aging population, the first-trimester Down syndrome screening should be implemented for all pregnant women when it is available. [source]

Association offirst-trimester low PAPP-A levels with preterm birth,,

PRENATAL DIAGNOSIS, Issue 4 2010
Katherine R. Goetzinger
Abstract Objective To determine the association of, and predictive ability of, pregnancy-associated plasma protein A (PAPP-A), free ,-human chorionic gonadotrophin (,-hCG), and nuchal translucency (NT) with preterm birth (PTB). Methods A 5-year retrospective cohort study of women who underwent first-trimester combined screening was performed. Maternal medical, antepartum, and pregnancy outcome data were obtained. PAPP-A and ,-hCG were converted to multiples of the median (MoM), and primary exposure was defined as ,10th percentile MoM for PAPP-A. Secondary exposures were defined as , 90th percentile MoM for ,-hCG and NT values of , 20 and 25 mm. The primary outcome was PTB before 35 weeks and the secondary outcome was PTB before 32 weeks. Univariate, bivariate, multivariate, and receiver,operator analyses were used. Results Of the 2231 patients meeting inclusion criteria with complete outcome data available, 222 had a PAPP-A level ,10th percentile MoM. Abnormally low PAPP-A was associated with an increased risk for PTB < 35 weeks [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 2.0, 1.0,3.8] and < 32 weeks (aOR 2.7, 1.1,6.4), even after adjusting for prior PTB, tobacco exposure, chronic hypertension, and body mass index. PAPP-A ,10th percentile was not sufficiently predictive of PTB < 35 weeks (area under curve = 0.63, 95% CI 0.53,0.72). Neither abnormally high ,-hCG nor increased NT was associated with an increased risk for PTB. Conclusions PAPP-A ,10th percentile is associated with an increased risk for PTB, but is not sufficiently predictive to be used clinically. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]

First-trimester combined screening for Down syndrome: prediction of low birth weight, small for gestational age and pre-term delivery in a cohort of non-selected women

PRENATAL DIAGNOSIS, Issue 3 2008
Kasper Pihl
Abstract Objective To establish the relationship between the first-trimester screening markers [pregnancy-associated plasma protein A (PAPP-A), free human chorionic gonadotrophin-, (,-hCG), nuchal translucency (NT)], the Down syndrome (DS) risk estimate, and the adverse outcomes such as low birth weight, small for gestational age (SGA) and pre-term delivery. Methods A retrospective cohort study including 1734 non-selected singleton pregnancies consecutively enrolled into the programme of first-trimester combined screening for DS in a 12-month period at a single centre. Data from the Prenatal Patient Registry in ASTRAIA were combined with the Danish National Newborn Screening Registry and Danish Birth Registry. Results There was a significant relation between low PAPP-A MoM, low ,-hCG MoM, increased risk estimate for DS and low birth weight and SGA. Low PAPP-A MoM and increased NT showed a significant relation to pre-term and spontaneous pre-term delivery. Low PAPP-A MoM showed a significant relation to early pre-term delivery. Conclusion First-trimester screening markers exhibited a significant relation to low birth weight, SGA and to some extent, to pre-term and early pre-term delivery. The screening performance of individual markers was poor. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]

The first trimester ,combined test' for the detection of Down syndrome pregnancies in 4939 unselected pregnancies

PRENATAL DIAGNOSIS, Issue 3 2002
K. Schuchter
Abstract The high detection rate (DR) for Down syndrome (DS) pregnancies which can be achieved by measuring fetal nuchal translucency (NT) early in pregnancy can be improved by combining it with placental hormones [pregnancy-associated plasma protein A (PAPP-A) and free ,-human chorionic gonadotrophin (f,-hCG)] and maternal age (,combined test'). In this study we wanted to assess the DR using the ,combined test' in an unselected population of self-referred pregnant women at a false-positive rate (FPR) of about 5%. NT, PAPP-A, f,-hCG and maternal age were measured in all women with singleton pregnancies who booked for delivery in our hospital from 1 December 1997 to 31 April 2000 and who were between 10 and 13 completed weeks of gestation [crown,rump length (CRL) 35,70,mm]. The specific DS risk was calculated using the computer program Alpha Version 5aa (Logical Medical Systems, London, UK). A total of 4939 women were tested. Out of 14 DS pregnancies that occurred during this period of time, 12 were detected with the test. A total of 246 women had a false-positive test result in a non-DS pregnancy (FPR 5.0%). This makes the ,combined test' by far the best test for the detection of DS pregnancies in a low-risk population. The constant increase in maternal age at the time of delivery can also lead to an improved DR if a simple age-dependant protocol for DS detection is used, but only at the price of a much higher number of amniocenteses and subsequent abortions. The DR for DS can be increased much more markedly using the ,combined test' with a FPR that still remains at the level as it was in the early 1970s. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]