[Ectopic pregnancy--significance of serum human chorionic beta gonadotropins and beta-1-glycoprotein (SP1) determination]

Abstract

In 83 patients with an ectopic pregnancy the serum levels of HCG and the pregnancy specific beta 1 glycoprotein SP-1 were determined. In addition the serum levels of 25 patients with a nonviable pregnancy and 26 non-pregnant patients were determined. The radio-immunologic beta HCG and SP-1 tests and the enzyme immunologic Sp-1 test were used. The radio-immune assay of beta HCG diagnosed 96% of all cases with an ectopic pregnancy. The enzyme and radio-immunologic SP-1 tests failed to diagnose the ectopic pregnancy in 5 of 83 cases (6%) by the Elisa test and in 3 of 83 cases (4%) by the RIA test. The lower limit of diagnosis of pregnancy was considered to be 1.8 micrograms SP-1/1. The concomitant determination of the beta HCG and the SP-1 level permits the diagnosis of ectopic pregnancy in all cases. The main advantage of the enzyme immunologic determination compared to the radio-immunologic determination is at present the materially shorter time factor of the test and the fact that an isotope laboratory is not necessary.