PROBLEM: Vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) is involved in early pr
egnancy establishment. This study sought to determine whether soluble VCAM-
1 (sVCAM-1) serum levels differ among normal, failed, and ectopic pregnancy
, its capacity to serve as a marker for pregnancy viability or ectopic preg
nancy, and its correlation with serum progesterone and beta human chorionic
gonadotrophin (beta HCG) levels.
METHOD OF STUDY: Maternal serum samples were obtained from 20 women with ec
topic, 10 with normal, and 10 with failed intra-uterine pregnancy, all of c
omparable gestational age. Samples were assayed for sVCAM-1, progesterone,
and beta HCG by specific assays.
RESULTS: The median serum level of sVCAM-1 was comparable between the three
pregnancy types (normal: 578.3 ng/mL, range 434.4-699.5 ng/mL; failed: 567
.8 ng/mL, range 401.9-669.5 ng/mL; and ectopic: 470.7 ng/mL range, 328.2-11
51.1 ng/mL). Serum levels sVCAM-1 were not significantly correlated with be
ta HCG or progesterone levels.
CONCLUSION: sVCAM-1 is not appropriate to serve as a marker for pregnancy v
iability or ectopic pregnancy.