Added prognostic value of longitudinal changes of angiogenic factors in
early-onset severe preeclampsia: analysis of maternal outcomes.
Abstract
Background: Maternal levels of angiogenic factors are promising
prognostic parameters in patients with suspected preeclampsia, but in
women with confirmed preeclampsia this performance has been less
explored. Objective: To assess in women with early-onset severe
preeclampsia whether longitudinal changes in angiogenic factors improve
the prediction of adverse outcome. Study design: A cohort was created of
consecutive women admitted for early-onset severe preeclampsia with no
indication for immediate delivery. Levels of placental growth factor
[PlGF], soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase [sFlt-1] and
sFlt-1/PlGF ratio were measured at admission and before delivery; and
average daily change was calculated. The association of longitudinal
changes of angiogenic factors with maternal complications and with the
time interval to delivery was evaluated by logistic and Cox regression.
Results: Sixty-three women were analyzed, of which 23 (36.5%) had a
complication. Longitudinal changes of sFlt-1 were more pronounce in
complicated pregnancies (median: 1079.5 vs. 343.7 pg/mL/day; p=0.04). On
the multivariate analysis, the baseline model (clinical risk score and
sFlt-1 at admission) explained a 6.6% of the uncertainty for
complication (R2-Naegelkerke). The addition of sFlt-1 longitudinal
changes improved this performance to 23.2% (p=0.004). The median time
from admission to delivery was 3 days (95% confidence interval:
1.9-4.05) in those in the highest quartile of sFlt-1 longitudinal
changes vs. 10 days (95% confidence interval: 8.1-11.9) in the
remaining women (Log-rank test p<0.001). Conclusions:
Longitudinal changes in sFlt-1 maternal levels from admission for
confirmed early-onset severe preeclampsia add to baseline
characteristics in the prediction of maternal complications.