title: PlGF in a clinical setting of pregnancies at risk of preeclampsia and/or intrauterine growth restriction.
abstract: Placental growth factor (PlGF) is an angiogenic molecule produced by the placenta and implicated in the pathogenesis of preeclampsia (PE) and intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR). We have evaluated utility and applicability of the PlGF test in a clinical setting of pregnancies at risk of PE or complicated by IUGR in order to assess its relationship with pregnancy outcomes. Seventy-three pregnancies were enrolled between 19 and 35 weeks: 57 pregnancies at risk of PE and 16 at diagnosis of IUGR. Maternal circulating PlGF levels were measured by the Triage PlGF test (Alere, San Diego, CA). Pregnancy outcomes were evaluated in relation to three categories of plasma PlGF levels: very low (<12 pg/ml), low (12-100 pg/ml) and normal (≥100 pg/ml). Uterine artery Doppler velocimetry (UADV) pulsatility index (PI) was measured in the same patients on the day of maternal sampling. Pregnancies at risk with very low plasma PlGF levels had significantly lower gestational age at delivery than patients with low or normal PlGF. The rate of emergency C-section was significantly higher in the group with PlGF <12 pg/ml. IUGR pregnancies with very low and low PlGF delivered earlier than patients with normal PlGF. All IUGR with very low and low PlGF had UADV PI > 95th percentile. Our data indicate that PlGF may provide useful information to identify fetuses requiring increased surveillance and possibly urgent delivery in pregnancies at risk of adverse outcomes. Furthermore, in IUGR, PlGF can predict adverse pregnancy outcomes that may be secondary to placental insufficiency.
authors.affiliation: a Unit of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences L. Sacco , Milan , Italy.|b Center for Fetal Research Giorgio Pardi, Università Degli Studi Di Milano , Milan , Italy , and.
authors.forename: Irene
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Cetin
authors.affiliation: a Unit of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences L. Sacco , Milan , Italy.|b Center for Fetal Research Giorgio Pardi, Università Degli Studi Di Milano , Milan , Italy , and.
authors.forename: Martina I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Mazzocco
authors.affiliation: c Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology , Università Di Milano-Bicocca , Monza , Italy.
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Giardini
authors.affiliation: a Unit of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences L. Sacco , Milan , Italy.|b Center for Fetal Research Giorgio Pardi, Università Degli Studi Di Milano , Milan , Italy , and.
authors.forename: Manuela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cardellicchio
authors.affiliation: a Unit of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences L. Sacco , Milan , Italy.|b Center for Fetal Research Giorgio Pardi, Università Degli Studi Di Milano , Milan , Italy , and.
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Calabrese
authors.affiliation: c Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology , Università Di Milano-Bicocca , Monza , Italy.
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Algeri
authors.affiliation: a Unit of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences L. Sacco , Milan , Italy.|b Center for Fetal Research Giorgio Pardi, Università Degli Studi Di Milano , Milan , Italy , and.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Martinelli
authors.affiliation: c Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology , Università Di Milano-Bicocca , Monza , Italy.
authors.forename: Lyudmyla
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Todyrenchuk
authors.affiliation: c Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology , Università Di Milano-Bicocca , Monza , Italy.
authors.forename: Patrizia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vergani
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D017078:Laser-Doppler Flowmetry; D010920:Placenta / Q000378:metabolism*; D000072483:Placenta Growth Factor / Q000097:blood*; D010949:Plasma / Q000378:metabolism*; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D055988:Uterine Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D000072483:Placenta Growth Factor
keywords: IUGR; preeclampsia; pregnancy outcomes; uterine artery Doppler velocimetry