FRIDAY, Jan. 6, 2023 (HealthDay News) — Circulating microparticle (CMP) proteins can identify placenta accreta spectrum (PAS) before delivery, according to a study published online Jan. 5 in Scientific Reports.

Noting that approximately half of pregnancies with PAS are undiagnosed prior to delivery, Hope Y. Yu, M.D., from Harvard Medical School in Boston, and colleagues conducted a nested case-control study of 35 cases and 70 controls to identify CMP protein panels that can identify pregnancies complicated by PAS. For CMP protein isolation and identification, size exclusion chromatography and liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry were used. Putative panels were established using a two-step iterative workflow.

The researchers identified five CMP proteins that differentiated PAS from controls using plasma samples at a median of 26 weeks of gestation, with a mean area under the curve (AUC) of 0.83. The mean AUC was 0.78 in a separate sample taken at a median of 35 weeks of gestation. Canonical pathway analyses demonstrated overrepresentation of processes related to iron hemostasis and erythropoietin signaling in the second trimester. These analyses revealed abnormal immune function in the third trimester.

“It is so important to identify these cases prior to delivery,” Yu said in a statement. “If we can identify a PAS case during pregnancy, the patient can then make a potentially life-saving choice to deliver in a tertiary delivery center with specialized providers. Having an experienced, multidisciplinary team by your side during a PAS birth can make an enormous difference when it comes to mortality and morbidity outcomes.”

Several authors disclosed financial ties to NX Prenatal Inc.

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