title: New biomarkers in diagnosis of early onset preeclampsia and imminent delivery prognosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Several studies have revealed a high soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase 1 (sFlt-1) to placental growth factor (PlGF) ratio in preeclamptic women. However, its role in patients with suspected preeclampsia (PE) at triage in the emergency department remains an issue and a controversial unique cutpoint of 85 has been proposed regardless of gestational age. A new cutpoint for sFlt-1/PlGF ratio was investigated to rule out PE at obstetric triage, and to assess its prognostic value for risk of imminent delivery.
  
  
  METHODS
  Blood samples from 257 pregnant women with suspected PE were obtained at obstetric triage admission. Serum PlGF and sFlt-1 were measured by an electrochemoluminiscence immunoassay (ECLIA) on the immunoanalyzer Cobas e601 (Roche Diagnostics) and the corresponding ratio was calculated. Final outcomes (mainly development of PE) were reviewed and time between clinical presentation and delivery was calculated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The best ratio cutpoint to diagnose PE changed according to gestational age: 23 (92.0% sensitivity, 81.1% specificity) and 45 (83.7% sensitivity, 72.6% specificity) for women <34 and ≥ 34 weeks' gestation, respectively. Furthermore, sFlt-1/PlGF ratio inversely correlated with time elapsed between clinical presentation and delivery, and a cutpoint of 178 could predict complications such as imminent delivery or fetal/neonatal death with a sensitivity of 70.6% and a specificity of 97.8%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The new cut-off values for the sFlt-1/PlGF ratio adjusted by the gestational age at clinical presentation can be used to rule out PE at obstetric triage and to predict imminent delivery with better accuracy than the cutpoint currently accepted.
authors: Indira
authors: I
authors: Álvarez-Fernández
authors: Belén
authors: B
authors: Prieto
authors: Verónica
authors: V
authors: Rodríguez
authors: Yolanda
authors: Y
authors: Ruano
authors: Ana I
authors: AI
authors: Escudero
authors: Francisco V
authors: FV
authors: Álvarez
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D000072483:Placenta Growth Factor; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011257:Pregnancy Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D011379:Prognosis; D040281:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-1 / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; C000608036:PGF protein, human; D011257:Pregnancy Proteins; D000072483:Placenta Growth Factor; D040281:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-1