Placental growth factor in patients with pregnancy complications in the third trimester of pregnancy
Abstract
The aim of the study was to investigate placental growth factor (PLGF) plasma levels in patients with pathological states in pregnancy. Design: Case-control study.
Settings: Institute of Medical Biochemistry and Laboratory Diagnostics, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague and General University Hospital in Prague, Kateřinská 32, 121 08 Prague, Czech Republic. Material and Methods: The studied group consisted of together 151 women in the third trimester of pregnancy (35 patients with threatening preterm labor, 32 patients with hypertensive disorder, 30 patients with intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), 13 patients with pregnancy intrahepatic cholestasis (ICP) and 41 healthy pregnant controls).
PLGF was measured by ELISA. Results: Patients with preeclampsia and IUGR had significantly decreased PLGF levels compared to controls, (90.6 (IQR 49.9 - 122.4) pg/ml; resp. 56.0 (IQR 39.6 - 143.1) pg/ml vs. 183.9 (IQR 114.0 - 302.2) pg/ml, p < 0.0001), whereas PLGF levels in patients with preterm labor and ICP did not differ from control group.
After gestational age adjustment, all groups of patients significantly differ from control group. PLGF correlates negatively with both erythrocyte count and hemoglobin levels in patients with preterm labor (r = -0.46 p = 0.0058 resp. r = - 0.53, p = 0.0013) and with uric acid in patients with IUGR (r = - 0.4237, p = 0.0196).
Conclusion: Results of the study contribute to better understanding of the pathological mechanisms in risk pregnancy.