Maternal plasma corticotrophin-releasing hormone (CRH) and alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) levels in pregnancies complicated by preterm labour in Chinese women.

Abstract

Hui Sau Lei Raydi.Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1999.Includes bibliographical references (leaves 71-82).Abstracts in English and Chinese.ABSTRACT (English and Chinese) --- p.iACKNOWLEDGMENT --- p.1LIST OF FIGURES --- p.2LIST OF TABLES --- p.3LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS --- p.4Chapter I. --- Introduction and Objectives --- p.5-8Chapter II. --- Literature review --- p.9Chapter II.A --- Corticotrophin-releasing hormone --- p.9Chapter II.A.1. --- Structure of Corticotrophin-releasing hormone --- p.9-10Chapter II.A.2. --- Corticotrophin releasing hormone and normal Physiology --- p.11Chapter II.A.2.a. --- Pituitary-adrenal axis --- p.11-12Chapter II.A.2.b. --- Role of Pituitary-adrenal axis --- p.12Chapter II.A.3. --- Placental Corticotrophin releasing hormone --- p.13Chapter II.A.3.a. --- Origin --- p.13Chapter II.A.3.b. --- Physiology --- p.14Chapter II.A.3.C. --- Normal pregnancy --- p.15Chapter II.A.3.d. --- Association with human parturition --- p.16Chapter II.A.3.e. --- Association with preterm delivery and other abnormal pregnancy outcomes --- p.17-18Chapter II.B. --- Alpha-fetoprotein --- p.19Chapter II.B.1. --- Physiology --- p.19-20Chapter II.B.2. --- Maternal alpha-fetoprotein levels in the second trimester --- p.21-22Chapter III : --- Materials & Method --- p.23Chapter III.A. --- Study population --- p.23-24Chapter III.B. --- Sample collection and Analysis --- p.25Chapter III.C. --- Corticotrophin releasing hormone radioimmunoassay --- p.26Chapter III.C.l.a. --- Theoretical basis for radioimmunoassay --- p.26-27Chapter III.C.l.b. --- Vycor extraction of maternal plasma samples --- p.28-30Chapter III.C.l.c. --- Standard curve --- p.31-32Chapter III.C.l.d. --- Antisera --- p.33Chapter III.C.1.e. --- Tracer --- p.34-35Chapter III.C.l.f. --- HPLC Tracer Purification --- p.36-37Chapter III.C.l.g. --- Separation of bound from unbound Cortico- trophin-releasing hormone: second antibody --- p.38Chapter III.C.1.h. --- Corticotrophin-releasing hormone radio- immunoassay procedure --- p.39Chapter III.C.2. --- Corticotrophin-releasing hormone reagents --- p.40-41Chapter III.C.3. --- Estimation of Corticotrophin-releasing hormone extraction recovery --- p.42Chapter III.C.4. --- Sample dilution --- p.43Chapter III.D. --- Alpha-fetoprotein: microparticle enzyme immunoassay --- p.44Chapter III.D.1. --- Principles --- p.44Chapter III.D.2. --- Reaction Process --- p.45-46Chapter III.D.3. --- MEIA Optical Assembly --- p.47Chapter III.D.4. --- Operation --- p.47Chapter III.D.5. --- Alpha-fetoprotein reagents --- p.48Chapter III.D.6. --- Sample Dilution --- p.49Chapter III.D.7. --- Inter-assay and Intra-assay Variation --- p.50-52Chapter III.E. --- Data handling --- p.53Chapter III.F. --- Statistical Analysis --- p.53Chapter IV: --- Results --- p.54Chapter IV.A. --- Demographic Data --- p.55-57Chapter IV.B. --- Corticotrophin-releasing hormone levels --- p.58Chapter IV.B.1. --- Corticotrophin-releasing hormone levels increases as gestation advances --- p.58Chapter IV.B.2 --- The association between the plasma Corticotrophin releasing hormone levels and the time to delivery --- p.59Chapter IV.B.3 --- Elevated Corticotrophin-releasing hormone levels among the preterm group --- p.60Chapter IV.B.4. --- Corticotrophin releasing hormone levels and history of threatened abortion --- p.61Chapter IV.C. --- Alpha-fetoprotein levels --- p.62Chapter IV.C.1. --- Alpha-fetoprotein levels and gestational age --- p.62Chapter IV.C.2. --- Alpha-fetoprotein levels and preterm labour --- p.63Chapter V: --- Discussion --- p.64-65Chapter V.A. --- Importance of dating --- p.64Chapter V.B. --- Diagnosis of preterm labour --- p.64-65Chapter V.C.1. --- Corticotrophin-releasing hormone and labour --- p.65-66Chapter V.C.2. --- Corticotrophin-releasing hormone and infection --- p.66-67Chapter V.C.3. --- Diurnal rhythm of Corticotrophin-releasing hormone --- p.67Chapter V.C.4. --- Laboratory assays of Corticotrophin-releasing hormone --- p.68Chapter V.D. --- Alpha-fetoprotein and labour --- p.69-70Chapter VI. --- Reference --- p.71-8