Maternal serum soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase 1 concentrations are not increased in early pregnancy and decrease more slowly postpartum in women who develop preeclampsia.
OBJECTIVE
We measured maternal serum soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase 1 concentrations across pregnancy and immediately postpartum in women who developed preeclampsia and normal pregnant women.


METHODS
This was a nested case control study of 113 normal pregnant women and 55 women with preeclampsia.


RESULTS
Serum soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase 1 concentrations increased similarly in early pregnancy in both groups. Mean serum soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase 1 concentrations were increased in women who developed preeclampsia, compared with normal pregnant women, and this increase was most pronounced in severe preeclampsia. However, many women with preeclampsia had soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase 1 concentrations similar to normal pregnant women. Lastly, soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase 1 decreased rapidly after delivery, but this decrease was significantly slower in women with severe preeclampsia.


CONCLUSIONS
Increased soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase 1 is not an early-pregnancy event among women who later develop preeclampsia. Increased soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase 1 is more likely to be present in women with severe preeclampsia, but it is not present in all women with preeclampsia. Soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase 1 concentrations decrease more slowly after delivery in women with preeclampsia, consistent with a decreased rate of excretion or continued production.
Powers
R W
RW
Magee-Womens Research Institute and Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA. rsirwp@mwri.magee.edu
Roberts
J M
JM
Cooper
K M
KM
Gallaher
M J
MJ
Frank
M P
MP
Harger
G F
GF
Ness
R B
RB
D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000097:blood; D007743:Labor, Obstetric / Q000097:blood; D009994:Osmolar Concentration; D049590:Postpartum Period / Q000097:blood*; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000097:blood*; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000097:blood*; D011261:Pregnancy Trimester, First / Q000097:blood*; D012907:Smoking; D013997:Time Factors; D040281:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-1 / Q000097:blood*
D007527:Isoenzymes; D040281:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-1