title: Elevated placenta growth factor levels in the early second-trimester amniotic fluid are associated with preterm delivery.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to determine how angiogenesis-related factors correlate with preterm delivery.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cohort of 382 pregnant women undergoing early second-trimester genetic amniocentesis was enrolled and followed-up until delivery, and the amniotic fluid was collected and stored as a nested case-control study. Cases with preterm delivery (n = 31) were compared with matched controls with term delivery (n = 62). The amniotic fluid concentrations of placenta growth factor (PlGF), angiogenins, angiopoietin-2, soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase and soluble endoglin were determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Women who delivered preterm had a higher amniotic PlGF concentration compared with the control group (median 12.6 pg/ml versus 6.1 pg/ml; p=0.027). Other angiogenesis-related factors did not show any differences between case and control groups. The odds ratio for preterm delivery based on amniotic fluid PlGF was 1.031 (95% confidence interval: 1.002-1.061; p=0.035). Additionally, when the cases were subdivided into early preterm, late preterm and term groups, PlGF values between the early preterm and term delivery groups were significantly different (median 16.6 pg/ml versus 6.1 pg/ml; Bonferroni-adjusted p=0.018).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Amniotic fluid PlGF levels in the early second trimester of pregnancy are associated with preterm delivery.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Medicine , the Catholic University of Korea , Seoul , Korea and.
authors.forename: Hambak
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: a Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Medicine , the Catholic University of Korea , Seoul , Korea and.
authors.forename: Ji Young
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Kwon
authors.affiliation: b Department of Laboratory Medicine , College of Medicine, the Catholic University of Korea , Seoul , Korea.
authors.forename: Seungok
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: a Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Medicine , the Catholic University of Korea , Seoul , Korea and.
authors.forename: Sa Jin
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: a Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Medicine , the Catholic University of Korea , Seoul , Korea and.
authors.forename: Jong Chul
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.affiliation: a Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Medicine , the Catholic University of Korea , Seoul , Korea and.
authors.forename: In Yang
authors.initials: IY
authors.lastname: Park
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000653:Amniotic Fluid / Q000378:metabolism*; D042501:Angiogenic Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D042702:Angiopoietin-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015331:Cohort Studies; D000071063:Endoglin / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D000072483:Placenta Growth Factor / Q000378:metabolism*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second / Q000378:metabolism; D047928:Premature Birth / Q000378:metabolism*; D040281:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-1 / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D042501:Angiogenic Proteins; D042702:Angiopoietin-2; C064206:ENG protein, human; D000071063:Endoglin; D000072483:Placenta Growth Factor; D040281:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-1
keywords: Amniotic fluid; angiogenic factors; placenta growth factor; preterm delivery