Circulating angiogenic and antiangiogenic factors in women with eclampsia.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of the study was to determine whether eclampsia has a different circulating profile of angiogenic (placental growth factor [PlGF]) and antiangiogenic factors (soluble vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-1 [sVEGFR-1] and soluble endoglin [sEng]) from severe preeclampsia.


METHODS
This cross-sectional study included pregnant women in the following groups: (1) normal pregnancy (n = 40); (2) severe preeclampsia (n = 40); and (3) eclampsia (n = 20). Maternal serum PlGF, sVEGFR-1, and sEng concentrations were determined using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.


RESULTS
The study results included the following: (1) the median concentration of sVEGFR-1 and sEng was higher and of PlGF was lower in severe preeclampsia or eclampsia than in normal pregnancy (P < .001 for all); and (2) the median concentrations of these 3 analytes did not differ significantly between patients with severe preeclampsia and those with eclampsia.


CONCLUSIONS
Eclampsia is associated with higher maternal circulating concentrations of sVEGFR-1 and sEng and lower concentrations of PlGF than normal pregnancy but with similar concentrations to severe preeclampsia. These findings suggest that eclampsia shares a common pathogenic pathway as severe preeclampsia.
Perinatology Research Branch, Intramural Division, the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development/National Institutes of Health/Department of Health and Human Services, Hutzel Women's Hospital, Bethesda, MD, USA.
Edi
E
Vaisbuch
Janice E
JE
Whitty
Sonia S
SS
Hassan
Roberto
R
Romero
Juan Pedro
JP
Kusanovic
David B
DB
Cotton
Yoram
Y
Sorokin
S Ananth
SA
Karumanchi
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000097:blood*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004461:Eclampsia / Q000097:blood*; D000071063:Endoglin; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D000072483:Placenta Growth Factor; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000097:blood*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011257:Pregnancy Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000097:blood*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D040281:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-1 / Q000097:blood*
D015703:Antigens, CD; C064206:ENG protein, human; D000071063:Endoglin; C000608036:PGF protein, human; D011257:Pregnancy Proteins; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D000072483:Placenta Growth Factor; D040281:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-1