Comparison of maternal serum total activin A and inhibin A in normal, preeclamptic, and nonproteinuric gestationally hypertensive pregnancies

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to compare maternal serum levels of act ivin A and inhibin A in pregnancy complicated by preeclampsia, pregnancy co mplicated by gestational hypertension, and normal pregnancy from 25 to 42 w eeks' gestation. STUDY DESIGN: Activin A and inhibin A levels were measured by 2-site enzyme -linked immunosorbent assay in 60 subjects with preeclampsia, 60 control no rmotensive pregnant women matched for gestational age, and 51 unmatched sub jects with gestational hypertension. RESULTS: Activin A levels were higher in the preeclampsia group (median 31. 5 ng/mL and interquartile range 10.5 ng/mL) than in the control group (medi an 10.6 ng/mL and interquartile range 9.5 ng/mL, P <.0001) and the gestatio nal hypertension group (median 21.4 ng/mL and interquartile range 15.2 ng/m L, P <.003). Inhibin A levels were greater in the preeclampsia group (media n 1833 pg/mL and interquartile range 1464 pg/mL) than in control subjects ( median 698 pg/mL and interquartile range 583 pg/mL, P <.0001). Control leve ls were significantly related to gestational age. CONCLUSIONS: Levels of both analytes were greater in preeclampsia and activ in A levels were greater in gestational hypertension than in normotensive p regnancy. These analytes may prove to be clinically useful laboratory marke rs for preeclampsia.