Correlation of Levels of Placental Growth Factor and Soluble FMS-Like Tyrosine Kinase with Severity and Prognosis of Preeclampsia-Eclampsia Syndrome.

Abstract

Background: Preeclampsia is a multifactorial disorder of hypertension in pregnancy which contributes majorly to maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality. PLGF (placental growth factor) and sFlt-1(soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase) are measurable biomolecules which can be used as biomarkers. This study estimated the levels of PLGF and sFlt-1 in patients of preeclampsia-eclampsia syndrome and correlated them with disease severity and prognosis.

Methods: A longitudinal observational study was conducted enrolling 125 women with preeclampsia-eclampsia syndrome and levels of PLGF, sFlt-1 and their ratio were correlated with disease severity and prognosis.

Results: The levels of serum biomarkers in the patients of preeclampsia were compared with patients of preeclampsia with severe features and eclampsia and no significant correlation was found. The patients with preeclampsia had a median value of sFlt-1 and ratio sFlt-1/PLGF as 24.50 ng/ml, and 13.50, respectively, whereas patients in the severe group had a median value of sFlt-1 as 28.00 ng/ml and ratio sFlt-1/PLGF as 14.00, respectively (p values 0.340 and 0.815, respectively). Patients with preeclampsia had PLGF in range of 938-13,317 pg/ml versus 1192.50-2708.75 pg/ml in those with severe disease (p value 0.610).

Conclusion: Although serum sFlt-1 was higher, serum PLGF was lower and the ratio of sFlt-1/PLGF was higher in patients with severe preeclampsia in comparison with non-severe cases, the difference was not statistically significant.