Maternal serum activin A is not elevated before preeclampsia in women who are at high risk

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine whether, in women who are at high risk of the development of preeclampsia, serum activin A concentrations are elevated before the disease and whether activin A is a useful predictor of preeclampsia. STUDY DESIGN: Sera were collected on five occasions throughout pregnancy from women with chronic hypertension, renal disease, or previous early-onset preeclampsia (n = 80 women). Women were classified as control subjects (normotensive or stable chronic hypertension), gestational hypertensive, or preeclamptic (de novo or superimposed). Serum activin A concentrations were measured by immunoassay. Differences in activin A concentrations between groups were analyzed with the use of a mixed-models procedure; screening test characteristics were calculated. RESULTS: Twenty-six women (33%) had gestational hypertension, and 17 women (21%) had preeclampsia or superimposed preeclampsia. Serum activin A levels increased with gestation in all groups (P =.0001), but there were no significant difference in activin A levels between groups (P =.75). CONCLUSION: In women who were at high risk of the development of preeclampsia, serum activin A levels are not elevated with preeclampsia. Activin A is not a useful predictor of preeclampsia in this setting.