RESUMO
INTRODUCTION: Diagnosis of the presence of disease and prediction of the rate of progression of disease in women with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy remains a clinical problem. Better methods are needed to determine the magnitude of risk to support patient counseling and clinical management. OBJECTIVES: To investigate whether the level of free PlGF is a significant predictor of length of pregnancy in women with hypertension. METHODS: In this case-control study a single sample was taken between the 22nd and 34th completed gestational weeks from 130 pregnant women with a final diagnosis of: pre-eclampsia (PE), HELLP-syndrome, superimposed pre-eclampsia (SIPE), chronic hypertension (CHT), gestational hypertension (GHT), and normal healthy pregnancy (Control). Plasma was analysed for PlGF using the Triage® PlGF assay (Alere, San Diego). A positive PlGF test was defined as below the 5th centile of normal healthy pregnancy. Hazard ratios for length-of-pregnancy were calculated for a positive PlGF test in a multivariate Cox proportional hazards model adjusting for two covariates, the gestational age at sample collection and a final diagnosis of proteinuric hypertension (PE, HELLP, and SIPE). RESULTS: Median PlGF concentration was significantly lower in women with hypertension than in controls. Women with proteinuric hypertension had the lowest levels of PlGF. A positive PlGF test predicted delivery before 35 weeks in 93.7% women, and delivery before 37 weeks in 90.5% women. A positive PlGF test was associated with a significantly higher risk of imminent delivery. PlGF was a significant and independent predictor of women destined to deliver early because of maternal or fetal complication (adjusted Hazard Ratio of 3.43, 95%CI of 1.97 to 5.98). CONCLUSION: A positive PlGF test is significant predictor of length of pregnancy, independent of other diagnostic criteria. PlGF has the potential to identify increased risk without the limitation of non-specificity which exists with other diagnostic parameters.
RESUMO
INTRODUCTION: Diagnosis of the presence of disease and prediction of the rate of progression of disease in women with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy remains a clinical problem. OBJECTIVES: Adequate placentation and placental development are important for normal pregnancy. We determined whether PlGF is a better predictor of delivery before 34+0 and 37+0 weeks than uterine artery and umbilical artery doppler. METHODS: One hundred and four women presenting before the completed 34th week of pregnancy with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy were enrolled into the study. Final diagnosis was chronic hypertension (N=24), gestational hypertension (N=21), pre-eclampsia (N=24), HELLP-syndrome (N=15), superimposed preeclampsia (N=20). Blood draw occurred before the 34th week of pregnancy at the time of investigation for expedited delivery or expectant management. Plasma was analysed for PlGF by the Alere Triage® PlGF assay using fluorescently-labelled monoclonal antibodies against PlGF. A positive PlGF test was defined as below the 5th centile of normal healthy pregnancy. RESULTS: Of the 104 pregnant women, the level of PlGF was abnormal in 23 of 24 (96%) women with IUGR, compared to 10 of 24 (42%) and 14 of 24 (58%) for uterine artery doppler and umbilical artery doppler, respectively. In the case of pre-eclampsia, the level of PlGF was abnormal in 50 of 59 (85%), compared to 15 of 59 (25%) and 25 of 56 (45%) for uterine artery doppler and umbilical artery doppler, respectively. Forty four (42%) women required medical delivery before 34+0 weeks gestation and 68 (65%) before 37+0 weeks gestation (see Table). PlGF detected a higher number of women requiring early delivery than doppler. CONCLUSION: The new Triage® PlGF test provides useful information to inform clinical decisions in pregnancy-associated hypertensive disorders, before the 34th completed gestational week.
