Preeclampsia is one of the most frequent and dangerous complications of a pregnancy. In preeclamptic pregnancies the spiral arteries are not modified properly. Disturbed blood flow finally leads to hypoxia which is responsible for the dysfunction of the endothelium. Endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and placental growth factor (PIGF) play an important role in the angiogenesis and thus may participate in the pathomechanism of preeclampsia.
Aim: The aim of our study was to estimate VEGF and PIGF level in serum of patients with preeclampsia.
Materials and methods: The study comprised 25 gravidas with preeclampsia and a control group of 18 healthy gravidas. In 25 preeclamptic women the angiogenic factors levels were measured in the III trimester and in 7 of them in the II trimester. In the control group these parameters were assessed in both periods. Both factors were measured by commercial available ELISA KIT.
Results: PIGF concentrations were significantly (p < 0.0001) lower in sera of patients with preeclampsia in the II and III trimester in comparison to the controls: 17.4 vs. 290.3 pg/ml and 99.1 vs. 347.8 pg/ml, respectively. In most cases serum VEGF levels were undetectable.
Conclusions: (1) PIGF is involved in the pathomechanism of preeclampsia and its maternal serum concentration decreases significantly in the course of the disease. (2) The sensitivity of the commercially available ELISA assay is too low to assess the serum VEGF concentration in women with preeclampsia.