OBJECTIVE: The aims of this study were to assess the relationship between early miscarriages and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression and to determine the serum levels of first-trimester maternal alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and human chorionic gonadotropin (β-hCG) as markers of angiogenesis and predictors of abortion and intrauterine fetal loss. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The present study was a prospective, single-center, randomized controlled clinical trial. Ninety-five women who were 6-10 weeks pregnant between May and June 2010 were included in the study. The subjects were divided into three groups, i.e., incomplete abortion (IA) (n=31), intrauterine death (IU-D) (n=32) and control (elective pregnancy termination) (n=32). Feto-placental materials were compared based on immune staining for VEGF in the pathology laboratory, and maternal serum samples were tested in the hormone laboratory. RESULTS:Serum β-hCG levels in the patient groups were significantly lower than the controls (p=0.001). The serum AFP level was lower than the controls in the IA group while it was higher than the controls in the IU-D (p=0.016). Immunohistochemistry showed that the cytotrophoblast, syncytiotrophoblast and endometrial gland epithelium were weakly stained for VEGF in the patient groups (IA and IU-D) in comparison to the control group (p=0.06, p=0.028, p=0.006). CONCLUSION: Early pregnancy losses are related to insufficient angiogenesis, and maternal serum AFP and β-hCG can be used as markers of angiogenesis in the first trimester.
RCT Entities:
OBJECTIVE: The aims of this study were to assess the relationship between early miscarriages and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression and to determine the serum levels of first-trimester maternal alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and human chorionic gonadotropin (β-hCG) as markers of angiogenesis and predictors of abortion and intrauterine fetal loss. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The present study was a prospective, single-center, randomized controlled clinical trial. Ninety-five women who were 6-10 weeks pregnant between May and June 2010 were included in the study. The subjects were divided into three groups, i.e., incomplete abortion (IA) (n=31), intrauterine death (IU-D) (n=32) and control (elective pregnancy termination) (n=32). Feto-placental materials were compared based on immune staining for VEGF in the pathology laboratory, and maternal serum samples were tested in the hormone laboratory. RESULTS: Serum β-hCG levels in the patient groups were significantly lower than the controls (p=0.001). The serum AFP level was lower than the controls in the IA group while it was higher than the controls in the IU-D (p=0.016). Immunohistochemistry showed that the cytotrophoblast, syncytiotrophoblast and endometrial gland epithelium were weakly stained for VEGF in the patient groups (IA and IU-D) in comparison to the control group (p=0.06, p=0.028, p=0.006). CONCLUSION: Early pregnancy losses are related to insufficient angiogenesis, and maternal serum AFP and β-hCG can be used as markers of angiogenesis in the first trimester.
Authors: Samuel A Pauli; Hongyan Tang; Jeff Wang; Peter Bohlen; Robert Posser; Tipton Hartman; Mark V Sauer; Jan Kitajewski; Ralf C Zimmermann Journal: Endocrinology Date: 2004-12-09 Impact factor: 4.736
Authors: T A Doran; G H Valentine; P Y Wong; G Wielgosz; R J Benzie; H C Soltan; M R Jenner; P A Morland; R J Montgomery; L C Allen Journal: CMAJ Date: 1987-08-15 Impact factor: 8.262
Authors: Sarah Berndt; Sophie Perrier d'Hauterive; Silvia Blacher; Christel Péqueux; Sophie Lorquet; Carine Munaut; Martine Applanat; Marie Astrid Hervé; Noël Lamandé; Pierre Corvol; Frédéric van den Brûle; Françis Frankenne; Matti Poutanen; Ilpo Huhtaniemi; Vincent Geenen; Agnès Noël; Jean-Michel Foidart Journal: FASEB J Date: 2006-10-25 Impact factor: 5.191