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sFlt-1/PlGF ratio for the prediction of the time of delivery

  • Maternal-Fetal Medicine
  • Published:
Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

The soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 (sFlt-1)/placental growth factor (PlGF) ratio has been shown to be a useful parameter for the diagnosis and prediction of preeclampsia (PE). An increased sFlt-1/PlGF ratio can be closely linked to the need to deliver. The aim of the study was to examine the mean time until delivery (MTUD) in pregnant women with a strongly increased sFlt-1/PlGF ratio.

Methods

From 2010 to 2018, the sFlt-1/PlGF ratio was determined in 995 singleton pregnancies with diagnosis or suspicion of PE/HELLP syndrome and/or intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR). MTUD of patients with a value above 655 in < 34 weeks of gestation (group 1: n = 13) and above 201 in ≥ 34 weeks of gestation (group 2: n = 15) was calculated. Patients with a value > 85 but < 655 in < 34 weeks of gestation (group 3: n = 70) and a value > 110 but < 201 (group 4: n = 44) in ≥ 34 weeks of gestation acted as controls.

Results

28 pregnant women with severely elevated sFlt-1/PlGF ratio and 114 controls were included. In group 1, MTUD was longer compared to group 2 without reaching statistical significance (96.7 h ± 132.2 vs. 47.7 h ± 44, p = 0.222). In pregnancies < 34 weeks of gestation (early onset), MTUD was significantly longer in group 3 compared to group 1 (361 h ± 317.3 vs. 96.7 h ± 132.2, p < 0.001). In pregnancies ≥ 34 weeks of gestation (late onset), MTUD was significantly longer in group 4 compared to group 2 (123.6 h ± 139.2 vs. 47.7 h ± 44, p = 0.002).

Conclusions

The sFlt-1/PlGF ratio is suitable for decision-making regarding close monitoring of high-risk patients and need for lung maturation. However, for planning of delivery itself further prospective interventional studies are required to define its role as outcome predictor.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany

    Oliver Graupner, Silvia M. Lobmaier, Javier U. Ortiz, Anne Karge & Bettina Kuschel

Authors
  1. Oliver Graupner
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  2. Silvia M. Lobmaier
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  3. Javier U. Ortiz
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  4. Anne Karge
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  5. Bettina Kuschel
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Contributions

OG: project development, data collection, data analysis, and manuscript writing. SML: data analysis and manuscript editing. JUO: manuscript editing. AK: data collection and manuscript editing. BK: project development, data collection, data analysis, and manuscript editing.

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Correspondence to Oliver Graupner.

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The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Ethical approval

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

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Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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Graupner, O., Lobmaier, S.M., Ortiz, J.U. et al. sFlt-1/PlGF ratio for the prediction of the time of delivery. Arch Gynecol Obstet 298, 567–577 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00404-018-4840-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00404-018-4840-3

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