First-trimester umbilical vein blood flow in pregnancies with low serum pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A levels: an early predictor of fetal growth restriction

Objective. To explore the correlation between parturients’ uterine artery blood flow spectra in the first and second trimesters of pregnancy and fetal growth restriction (FGR). Methods. The data of parturients treated in our hospital from February 2018 to February 2020 were retrospectively analyzed, 50 parturients with FGR were selected as the FGR group, and other 50 healthy cases were selected as the control group. In the first trimester (11-12 weeks of gestation) and the second trimester of pregnancy (13–24 weeks of gestation), the parturients of the two groups accepted the color Doppler ultrasonography (CDS), their hemodynamics indicators of uterine artery were recorded, and the correlation between their uterine artery blood flow spectra in the two periods and FGR was analyzed with the Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve. Results. No statistical differences in the parturients’ general information including age, gestational weeks, gravidity, and parity between the two groups were observed ( P > 0.05); the newborn’s body weight, Apgar scores, number of preterm infants, and the number of infants transferring to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) were significantly different between the two groups ( P < 0.05); in the first and second trimesters of pregnancy, the uterine artery pulsatility index (UtA-PI), uterine artery resistance index (UtA-RI), maximal systolic flow velocity, and systolic/diastolic (UtA-S/D) ratio were significantly higher in the FGR group than in the control group ( P < 0.05), and the time-averaged maximal velocity (TAMX) was significantly lower in the FGR group than in the control group ( P < 0.001); in early pregnancy, the incidence of early diastolic notch at bilateral uterine arteries between the two groups was not significantly different ( P > 0.05), and the unilateral and total incidence in the first trimester as well as the unilateral, bilateral, and total incidence in the second trimester were significantly higher in the FGR group than in the control group ( P < 0.05); in the first trimester, the sensitivity of detecting FGR with a uterine artery blood flow spectrum was 0.820, AUC (95% CI) = 0.840 (0.757–0.923), and in the second trimester, it was 0.860, AUC (95% CI) = 0.900 (0.832–0.968). Conclusion. There is a correlation between uterine artery blood flow spectra in the first and second trimesters of pregnancy and FGR, and the sensitivity of spectrum in the first trimester is higher than that in the second trimester, presenting a better clinical application value.

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Pregnancy associated plasma protein A: an early predictor of fetal growth restriction

International Journal of Reproduction Contraception Obstetrics and Gynecology ◽

10.18203/2320-1770.ijrcog20214652 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (12) ◽

pp. 4517

Author(s):

Pavan Bhargava Chandramohan ◽

Sarita Agrawal ◽

Chandrashekhar Shrivastava ◽

Sarita Rajbhar ◽

Prasanta Nayak ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Fetal Growth ◽

Plasma Protein ◽

Predictive Value ◽

Fetal Growth Restriction ◽

Protein A ◽

Outcome Data ◽

Adverse Outcomes ◽

Growth Restriction ◽

Low Levels ◽

Sensitivity Specificity

Background: The aim of our study was to determine the association of low levels of pregnancy associated plasma protein-A (PAPP-A) levels estimated at 11-13+6weeks of gestation with fetal growth restriction (FGR).Methods: A prospective observational study of a total of 203 pregnant women with PAPP-A levels were followed up and the outcome data were collected at childbirth.Results: The incidence of FGR was 7.3%. A significant association was found between low levels of PAPP-A MoM (≤0.49) with FGR (p=0.000) with unadjusted odds ratio of 11.6. At PAPP-A multiples of median (MoM) ≤0.49, FGR had a median (Q1, Q3) of 0.46 (0.42, 1.54) versus 1.87 (0.59, 3.11) which was statistically significant (p=0.05) with moderate strength of prediction [minus 0.58 (95% CI, minus 1.113, minus 0.055), p=0.03]. At the cut-off considered in our study i.e., ≤0.49 MoM, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) were 73%, 81%, 23%, and 97% respectively with a positive LR of 3.82 and negative LR of 0.32. Karl Pearson’s correlation showed positive correlation (r=0.308, p<0.001) between PAPP-A MoM and birthweight and showed that for every unit increase in PAPP-A MoM, birthweight increased by 0.082 times (approximately 90 gm). We also found an association of low PAPP-A with pre-eclampsia, preterm delivery and increased caesarean delivery births.Conclusions: We conclude that low PAPP-A MoM levels are good reflectors of placental function and adverse outcomes. PAPP-A, a part of the dual marker, may be extrapolated for suspecting FGR. This could guide in instituting appropriate feto-maternal surveillance.

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