Reductions of vascular endothelial growth factor and placental growth factor concentrations in severe preeclampsia.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to determine whether plasma concentrations of vascular endothelial growth factor and placental growth factor are altered in women with severe preeclampsia.


METHODS
We performed a case-control study to compare plasma concentrations of vascular endothelial growth factor and placental growth factor between women with severe preeclampsia and normotensive women admitted for delivery. Twenty-one women with severe preeclampsia were matched for gestational age and ethnicity with 21 normotensive women. Vascular endothelial growth factor and placental growth factor concentrations were measured with a specific antigen-capture enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.


RESULTS
Women with severe preeclampsia demonstrated significantly lower plasma concentrations of both vascular endothelial growth factor (6.36 +/- 3.96 pg/mL vs 18.65 +/- 5.98 pg/mL; P <.0001) and placental growth factor (138 +/- 119 pg/mL vs 531 +/- 340 pg/mL; P <.0001) than did women with normotensive pregnancy. Logistic regression analysis showed an independent association between plasma vascular endothelial growth factor concentration and plasma placental growth factor concentration and preeclampsia.


CONCLUSIONS
Patients with severe preeclampsia had decreased maternal serum concentrations of both vascular endothelial growth factor and placental growth factor.
Livingston
J C
JC
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Tennessee, Memphis 38163, USA.
Chin
R
R
Haddad
B
B
McKinney
E T
ET
Ahokas
R
R
Sibai
B M
BM
D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors / Q000097:blood*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008222:Lymphokines / Q000097:blood*; D009994:Osmolar Concentration; D000072483:Placenta Growth Factor; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000097:blood*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011257:Pregnancy Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D012016:Reference Values; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors
D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors; D008222:Lymphokines; C000608036:PGF protein, human; D011257:Pregnancy Proteins; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors; D000072483:Placenta Growth Factor