Maternal serum placental leucine aminopeptidase (P‐LAP)/oxytocinase and preterm delivery

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Abstract
Objective: To test the applicability of maternal serum placental leucine aminopeptidase (P‐LAP) as a parameter for predicting preterm delivery. Patients and Methods: Maternal serum P‐LAP activity of 61 consecutive women with preterm labor at admission were assayed and examined to assess the relationship of levels to the incidence of preterm and term deliveries. Results: When P‐LAP activity of study patient serum was at or below the 10th percentile, we found a greater ratio of preterm delivery (P=0.0085) and an approximately 2.3‐fold increase risk. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value were 29, 97, 89 and 62%, respectively. Conclusion: Maternal serum P‐LAP activity decreases in cases with spontaneous preterm delivery and may be a clinically potential marker for some cases of preterm labor.