Maternal Serum Angiogenic Growth Factors
in Intrauterine Growth Restriction versus Normal
Pregnancies
Ratana Komwilaisak MD*, Patraporn Tangkiratichai MD*
Affiliation :
* Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University,
Khon Kaen, Thailand
Objective : To assess maternal serum angiogenic growth factors level of soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 (sFlt-1), placenta
growth factor (PlGF) and sFlt-1/PlGF ratio among pregnant women with intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) compared
to those with normal pregnancies.
Study design: A prospective cross-sectional study conducted at Srinagarind Hospital, Khon Kaen University, Thailand from
July 2014 to April 2015.
Material and Method: Twenty-one singleton pregnant women of gestational age between 26 to 39 weeks who had IUGR, and
21 normal pregnant women matched for gestational age were recruited. Descriptive statistics were used for demographic
characteristics. Student t-test and Wilcoxon rank-sum test was used when appropriated to compare between the groups.
Main outcome measures: Levels of sFlt-1 and PIGF and sFlt-1/PlGF ratio.
Results : There were no statistical significant differences in gestational age, maternal age, parity status, maternal blood pressure
level and hematocrit level between the groups. Median PlGF level among pregnant women with IUGR was significantly lower
than that in control group (121 and 834.8 ng/ml respectively, p-value <0.01). The sFlt-1 level in pregnancies complicated by
IUGR was slightly higher than that noted among normal pregnancies (2644 ng/ml and 2,136 ng/ml respectively, a p-value
0.105). The sFlt-1/PlGF ratio among pregnant women with IUGR was significant higher than that observed among normal
pregnant women (34.1 and 2.6 respectively, p-value <0.01).
Conclusion : Pregnancy with IUGR had low level of PlGF and high sFlt-1/PlGF ratio when compare with normal pregnancy.
Keywords : Intrauterine growth restriction, Angiogenic growth factors, soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 (sFlt-1), placenta
growth factor (PlGF)
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