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Obstetrics & Gynecology 2001;98:463-465
© 2001 by The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
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ORIGINAL RESEARCH

Bioactivity of Serum hCG in Preeclampsia

Ysabel C. Casart, MD, María I. Camejo, PhD, Fulgencio Proverbio, PhD and Freddy Febres, MD

From the Facultad de Medicina, Escuela de Nutrición y Dietética, Universidad Central de Venezuela, Caracas; Departamento de Biología de Organismos, Universidad Simón Bolívar, Sartenejas, Baruta; Laboratorio de Bioenergética Celular, Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Científicas, Altos de Pipe; and Fundamatin, Laboratorio de Endocrinología, Maternidad Concepción Palacios, Caracas, Venezuela.

Address reprint requests to: Ysabel C. Casart, MD, Departamento de Ciencias Fisiológicas, Escuela de Nutrición y Dietética, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Central de Venezuela, Ciudad Universitaria, Caracas, Venezuela; E-mail: casarty{at}hotmail.com.

OBJECTIVE: To compare hCG levels, obtained by biologic and immunologic means, in women with normal pregnancies and women with preeclampsia.

METHODS: Peripheral blood samples from women in the third trimester with preeclampsia (n = 30) or normal pregnancies (n = 30) were assayed for immunoactive and bioactive hCG (mouse Leydig cell testosterone production assay).

RESULTS: Serum bioactive hCG levels tended to be lower than normal, and immunoactive hCG levels tended to be higher in women with preeclampsia, but the differences were not statistically significant. However, the ratio of bioactive to immunoactive hCG was significantly lower than normal for preeclamptic women (0.71 ± 0.28 vs. 1.15 ± 0.35 for normotensive pregnant women [mean ± standard deviation], P < .001).

CONCLUSION: The ratio of bioactive to immunoreactive serum hCG is lower among preeclamptic than among normotensive pregnant women.






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