title: Evaluation of placenta growth factor and soluble Fms-like tyrosine kinase 1 receptor levels in mild and severe preeclampsia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to determine if maternal serum concentrations of placenta growth factor (PlGF) and soluble Fms-like tyrosine kinase 1 receptor (s-Flt1) are more abnormal in patients with severe preeclampsia compared with mild preeclampsia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Serum samples were collected from 32 control patients and 80 patients with mild or severe preeclampsia. PlGF and s-Flt1 concentrations were quantitated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results are expressed as median (Q1-Q3) unless stated otherwise. After normalization, serum markers were compared using one-way analysis of covariance (ANCOVA).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients with preeclampsia had decreased levels of PlGF (75.1 +/- 14 vs 391 +/- 54 pg/mL, P < .0001) and elevated s-Flt1 concentration (1081 +/- 108 vs 100.1 +/- 26.9 pg/mL, P < .0001) compared with the respective controls (mean +/- SEM). PlGF concentration was lower in patients with mild preeclampsia compared with severe, respectively (67 pg/mL [39-158] vs 24 pg/mL [4-57], P < .02). s-Flt1 was not different between mild and severe preeclampsia (674 pg/mL [211-1297] vs 1015 pg/mL [731-1948], P = .08).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PlGF and s-Flt1 serum levels are abnormal in patients with preeclampsia compared with controls, but only PlGF is more abnormal in severe preeclampsia compared with mild preeclampsia.
authors.affiliation: Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29439, USA. .
authors.forename: Christopher J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Robinson
authors.forename: Donna D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: Eugene Y
authors.initials: EY
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: D Michael
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Armstrong
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D000072483:Placenta Growth Factor; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011257:Pregnancy Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D040281:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-1 / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: C000608036:PGF protein, human; D011257:Pregnancy Proteins; D000072483:Placenta Growth Factor; C501162:FLT1 protein, human; D040281:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-1