Kisspeptin as a new serum biomarker to discriminate miscarriage from viable intrauterine pregnancy.

OBJECTIVE

To validate the ability of serum kisspeptin-54 to discriminate between first-trimester viable pregnancies and miscarriages.

DESIGN

Case-control study.

SETTING

Academic medical centers.

PATIENT(S): Women with confirmed viable intrauterine pregnancy (IUP) at estimated gestational age 6-10 weeks (n = 20), women with confirmed miscarriage (spontaneous abortion [SAB]) at estimated gestational age 6-10 weeks (n = 20), and nonpregnant women (n = 19).

INTERVENTION(S): Collection of serum samples from women with confirmed IUP, SAB, and nonpregnant women for the measurement of serum kisspeptin and serum hCG levels.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Serum kisspeptin and hCG.

RESULT(S): The limit of detection was 0.024 ng/mL; intra- and interassay coefficients of variation were 5.1% and 8.6%, respectively. Kisspeptin levels differed between the pregnant and nonpregnant state and by viability. Kisspeptin levels were positively associated with gestational age. There was also a significant positive association with hCG in SAB, but not in IUP.

CONCLUSION(S): Plasma levels of kisspeptin have been suggested as a biomarker for miscarriage. This study demonstrates kisspeptin assay stability in serum and its potential clinical utility as a biomarker for early pregnancy viability.