title: Importance of Timing First-Trimester Placental Growth Factor and Use of Serial First-Trimester Placental Growth Factor Measurements in Screening for Preeclampsia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aims of this study were to test whether the performance of first-trimester placental growth factor (PlGF) in screening for preterm preeclampsia (PE) is gestational age dependent and to assess the value of serial first-trimester PlGF measurements in discriminating women at risk for PE.
  
  
  METHODS
  PlGF was measured in women with singleton pregnancies at their first antenatal visit at 8+0 to 10+6 and additionally at 11+0 to 14+0 weeks of gestation. The difference in absolute values of serial PlGF measurements was expressed as Δ-PlGF. Values were compared between pregnancies with normal outcome and those complicated by PE.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 814 pregnancies were included, 18 (2.19%) developed PE that required delivery before 37 weeks of gestation. PlGF increases significantly from 8 to 14 weeks of gestation (ρ = 0.63; p < 0.0001) in normal pregnancies, but not so in preterm PE (ρ = 0.034; p = 0.893). PlGF discriminates between PE and uneventful pregnancies only after 10 weeks of gestation. Δ-PlGF was significantly lower in PE 5.3 (-1.1 to 9.3) pg/mL compared to uneventful pregnancies 17.3 (9.8-26.0) pg/mL (p = 0.0011).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The discriminatory accuracy of PlGF increases from 10 to 14 weeks of gestation, and serial PlGF measurements might be of particular interest in PE screening.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital and University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Beatrice
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mosimann
authors.forename: Sofia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Amylidi-Mohr
authors.forename: Katrin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Höland
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Surbek
authors.forename: Lorenz
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Risch
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Raio
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008403:Mass Screening; D000072483:Placenta Growth Factor / Q000097:blood*; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011261:Pregnancy Trimester, First / Q000097:blood*; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second / Q000097:blood*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D000072483:Placenta Growth Factor
keywords: First trimester; Placental growth factor; Preeclampsia; Prenatal screening