[Changes and significance of concentrations of serum vascular endothelial growth factor in patients with pregnancy induced hypertension].
OBJECTIVE
To detect the changes of concentrations of serum vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in patients with pregnancy induced hypertension (PIN) as well as to explore the relationship between VEGF and pathogenesis of PIN.


METHODS
Serum VEGF concentrations in 23 healthy nonpregnant women (nonpregnant group), 30 normal pregnant women (normal pregnancy group) and 37 women with PIH (PIH group) were measured by sandwich enzyme-linked immunoadsorbent assay (ELISA).


RESULTS
Serum concentrations of VEGF were significantly higher in normal pregnancy group (149.39 +/- 27.15) ng/L than those in nonpregnant group (11.98 +/- 3.99) ng/L (P < 0.001), peaking in the second trimester of pregnancy (183.84 +/- 49.02) ng/L and decreasing in the third trimester (118.37 +/- 34.29) ng/L. Serum VEGF concentrations (64.45 +/- 24.33) in PIH group were significantly lower than those in normal late pregnancy group (118.37 +/- 34.29) ng/L (P < 0.01). There was a trend that serum VEGF concentrations in PIH group decreased with the severity of PIH (P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
The decrease of VEGF may play and important role in the pathogenic mechanism of PIH.
Chen
J
J
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Provincial Peoples' Hospital of Guangdong, Guangzhou 510080, China.
Wen
A
A
Hong
D
D
D000328:Adult; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000097:blood*; D008222:Lymphokines / Q000097:blood; D010920:Placenta / Q000378:metabolism; D011247:Pregnancy; D011249:Pregnancy Complications, Cardiovascular / Q000097:blood*; D011263:Pregnancy Trimester, Third; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000097:blood*
D008222:Lymphokines; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A