Vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 in normal, failed, and ectopic pregnancy

PROBLEM: Vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) is involved in early pregnancy 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 pregnancy, and its correlation with serum progesterone and beta human chorionic gonadotrophin (PHCG) levels. METHOD OF STUDY: Maternal serum samples were obtained from 20 women with ectopic, 10 with normal, and 10 with failed intra-uterine pregnancy, all of comparable gestational age. Samples were assayed for sVCAM-1, progesterone, and betaHCG 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: 470.7ng/mL range, 328.2-1151.1 ng/mL). Serum levels sVCAM-1 were not significantly correlated with betaHCG or progesterone levels. CONCLUSION: sVCAM-1 is not appropriate to serve as a marker for pregnancy viability or ectopic pregnancy.