The concentration of the amniotic fluid angiogenin and interleukin-6 in the pregnancy with elevated maternal serum human chorionic gonadotropin during the second trimester / 대한산부인과학회잡지

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: This study is to measure the level of concentration of angiogenin, a cause of potent neovascularization and a marker of ischemia, and of interleukin-6 (IL-6), an indicator of acute inflammation, in the amniotic fluid of patients with elevated maternal serum free beta-hCG level during the second-trimester. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty patients with elevated maternal serum free beta-hCG level (>2.5 MoM) at double screening test of Down syndrome were compared with the controlled group (<2.0 MoM). This study includes singleton gestation, gestational age of 14-18 weeks, and has no evidence of fetal structural and chromosomal anomalies. The levels of amniotic angiogenin and IL-6 were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method. Data were analyzed by Mann-Whitney U test. p value <0.05 was considered significant. RESULTS: Amniotic angiogenin levels in the studied group were much lower than those in the controlled group (p<0.05), whereas the difference of IL-6 levels between the two groups was not significant. Nine studied patients delivered small for gestational age infants, but only one controlled patient (p<0.05) had the same infant. Other variables of perinatal outcome were not different between the two groups. CONCLUSION: That amniotic fluid angiogenin levels are significantly lower in patients with elevated maternal serum free beta-hCG suggests an inadequate angiogenesis. Elevated maternal serum free beta-hCG levels correlate with fetal growth restriction. IL-6 values in both groups have no significant difference.