title: Amniotic vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and nitric oxide (NO) in women with subsequent preeclampsia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess whether amniotic fluid concentrations of nitric oxide (NO) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in early pregnancy correlate to subsequent preeclampsia.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed a retrospective study to assess VEGF and NO on the second trimester amniotic fluid of 15 healthy women, and 15 women who subsequently developed preeclampsia.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In women with subsequent preeclampsia, both VEGF (213.19+/-78.42 pg/ml) and NO concentrations (4.31+/-1.02 micromol/mg creatinine) were significantly lower than healthy controls (VEGF 255.05+/-88.66 pg/ml; NO 5.02+/-1.57 microg/mg creatinine; P<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings suggest that reduced VEGF may be responsible, at least in part, for the impaired vascular development which occurs in preeclampsia. Low concentrations of VEGF and NO in the second trimester may represent an impaired stimulus to vascular formation and endothelial regulation that induce placental disease and preeclampsia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Ancona, Salesi Hospital, via Corridoni 11, 60123 Ancona, Italy. tranquilli@unian.it
authors.forename: Andrea L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Tranquilli
authors.forename: Valeria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Bezzeccheri
authors.forename: Stefano R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Giannubilo
authors.forename: Caterina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Scagnoli
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mazzanti
authors.forename: Giuseppe G
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Garzetti
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000653:Amniotic Fluid / Q000378:metabolism*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism*; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000378:metabolism*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D009569:Nitric Oxide