Raised levels of maternal serum secretory acetylcholinesterase may be indicative of fetal neural tube defects in early pregnancy.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

To investigate the levels of maternal serum secretory acetylcholinesterase from a sample of pregnancies involving fetal neural tube defects and compare those results with alphafetoprotein levels.

METHODS:

Secretory acetylcholinesterase levels were measured using a new Enzyme Capture Immunoassay, in a small blind prospective study. The study group comprised pregnancies covering a gestational age range of 13-24 weeks where 98 had normal fetuses, 21 suffered from neural tube defects, and 15 had other complications.

RESULTS:

Maternal serum secretory acetylcholinesterase levels were found to be low and independent of gestational age between 14-20 weeks in a sample of normal pregnancies with normal alphafetoprotein levels. Raised levels of maternal serum secretory acetylcholinesterase were found in 100% of pregnancies involving spina bifida (17/17) and three of four anencephalics compared with raised alphafetoprotein levels found in 88% (15/17), and 100% (4/4) of the same samples. Only seven of 13 maternal serum samples from pregnancies with a normal outcome and none of the four twin pregnancies, all with raised alphafetoprotein levels, had raised secretory acetylcholinesterase levels.

CONCLUSIONS:

Raised levels of maternal serum secretory acetylcholinesterase may provide a useful indicator of neural tube defects in early pregnancy.

• Authors: D M Brennand, A M Jehanli, P J Wood, J L Smith
• Journal: Acta obstetricia et gynecologica Scandinavica (Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand) Vol. 77 Issue 1 Pg. 8-13 (Jan 1998) ISSN: 0001-6349 [Print] United States
• PMID: 9492710 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• alpha-Fetoproteins
• Acetylcholinesterase

Topics

• Acetylcholinesterase (blood)
• Anencephaly (diagnosis)
• Clinical Enzyme Tests
• Female
• Gestational Age
• Humans
• Immunoenzyme Techniques
• Neural Tube Defects (diagnosis)
• Pregnancy
• Prenatal Diagnosis
• Prospective Studies
• Spinal Dysraphism (diagnosis)
• alpha-Fetoproteins (analysis)