Angiogenic biomarkers for the follow-up of singleton pregnancies with suspected preeclampsia.

Background: Preeclampsia (PE) is a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy and one of the leading causes of maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality worldwide. While the underlying cause of remains unknown, abnormal placentation in early stages of pregnancy is thought to be a main triggering event for the more severe and early-onset forms. A consequence of placental insufficiency is an imbalance of angiogenic factors in the maternal circulation. The objective was to assess the utility of the angiogenic biomarker sFlt-1/PlGF for the diagnosis, follow-up and prognosis of preeclampsia.

Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study based including 65 consecutive singleton pregnancies with suspected preeclampsia referred to our hospital between January 2018 and February 2019. PE was defined as early-onset (20-33+6 weeks) and late-onset (≥34 weeks). The main independent variable was sFlt-1/PlGF classified in women with early or late onset PE, respectively, as low when <38 or <38, intermediate when 38-84 or 38-109, and high when ≥85 or ≥110.

Results: PE was confirmed in 14 (4 early-onset, 10 late-onset) of the participants. 122 sFlt-1/PIGF ratio determinations were requested. The optimal sFlt-1/PlGF to predict PE was ≥86 with a sensitivity of 93% and a specificity of 96% (AUC 0.95; CI 95% 0.90-1.0; P<0.001). A multilevel logistic model for the diagnosis of PE was adjusted for age, Body Mass Index, diabetes, proteinuria and mean arterial pressure. Women were 16.5 times (P=0.013) more likely to develop PE if they had intermediate sFlt-1/PlGF levels and 451 times (P<0.001) more likely if they had high biomarker levels compared to those with levels below 38. The probability of PE was 3.73 times (P=0.046) greater in those with maternal and/or fetal complications.

Conclusions: The biomarker proved useful to diagnose PE and assess its prognosis. Patients diagnosed with PE had a higher frequency of complications and their newborns were of lower birth weight.