scholarly journals The diagnostic Value of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor in Women with Growth-Restricted Fetuses

Doctor Ru ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 19 (8) ◽  
pp. 44-48
Author(s):  
I.F. Fatkullin ◽  
◽  
N.R. Akhmadeev ◽  
E.V. Ulyanina ◽  
L.Kh. Islamova ◽  
...  

Study Objective: To assess delivery outcomes in women with slow fetal growth (ICD-10 code P05) and study serum levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and its diagnostic value in patients with growth-restricted fetuses that have constitutional low weight, in order to choose an approach to pregnancy management. Study Design: This was a prospective and retrospective comparative study. Materials and Methods: The medical charts of 782 women who had given birth to low-weight babies in 2013 and 2014 were reviewed retrospectively. The prospective part of the study involved measuring serum levels of VEGF in 150 pregnant women: 50 women with growthrestricted fetuses (Group I), 50 women with low-weight fetuses without hemodynamic disruptions or placental abnormalities (Group II), and 50 women with healthy pregnancies (Group III). Based on the babies’ gestational term at birth, the women in each group were divided into two subgroups: between 22 weeks and 0 days and 31 weeks and 6 days (subgroup 1) and ≥32 weeks and 0 days (subgroup 2). The data obtained were processed using descriptive statistics and compared with data obtained through other fetal assessments. Study Results: The pregnant women with growth-restricted fetuses had higher VEGF levels by a statistically significant margin (p<0.00001) than the women in groups II and III: median levels were 310 (Q1–Q3: 270–508), 33 (Q1–Q3: 31–38), and 36 (Q1–Q3: 32–40) pg/mL, respectively, in subgroups 1 and 174 (Q1–Q3: 100–214), 78 (Q1–Q3: 73–86), and 82 (Q1–Q3: 78–88) pg/mL, respectively, in subgroups 2. VEGF levels ≥100 pg/mL were associated with fetal growth restriction (FGR) (p = 0.0001) and levels ≥200 pg/mL with a high risk of antenatal fetal death (p = 0.026) or early neonatal death (p = 0.03). Conclusion: For women with growth-restricted fetuses, VEGF serum levels ≥200 pg/mL are an additional risk factor for unfavorable perinatal outcomes, which helps to optimize obstetrical management for these patients. Keywords: low-weight fetus, fetal growth retardation, vascular endothelial growth factor.

1997 ◽  
Vol 92 (6) ◽  
pp. 567-571 ◽  
Author(s):  
Phylip Evans ◽  
Timothy Wheeler ◽  
Frederick Anthony ◽  
Clive Osmond

1. The objectives of the study were: (i) to investigate the serum concentrations of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in pregnant and non-pregnant women; and (ii) to study the relationship between the levels of maternal serum VEGF and the serum concentrations of human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) and progesterone during the first trimester. 2. Total immunoreactive VEGF was measured by competitive RIA using recombinant human VEGF165 and a polyclonal antiserum. Serum VEGF was measured in 60 non-pregnant women of child-bearing age. These data were compared with serum VEGF measured in 363 women between 41 and 91 days of gestation. 3. The median serum VEGF concentration was 1.10 μg/l (interquartile range 0.91–1.30) in the nonpregnant women and 2.13 μg/l (interquartile range 1.62–2.77) in the pregnant women. Serum levels of VEGF were significantly higher among the pregnant cohort (P < 0.0001). Serum VEGF concentration was positively correlated with gestational age, increasing until ten completed weeks of pregnancy. Serum VEGF was negatively correlated with maternal height and weight, and positively correlated with serum hCG and serum progesterone (P ≤ 0.0001 in all cases). Serum VEGF was lower in the pregnant women who smoked (P = 0.06). 4. Our data show a positive and highly significant correlation between maternal serum levels of VEGF and hormones reflecting placental function (hCG, progesterone). We speculate that VEGF production is increased by progesterone and hCG, and that VEGF has a positive influence on trophoblast development. VEGF may also be involved in the initiation of the maternal cardiovascular adaptation to pregnancy.


2013 ◽  
Vol 2013 ◽  
pp. 1-5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marjan Noorbakhsh ◽  
Maryam Kianpour ◽  
Mehdi Nematbakhsh

Background. Hypertensive disorder generally complicates 5–10 percent of all pregnancies. Angiogenic growth factors may be helpful for the diagnosis and prediction of preeclampsia. Therefore, in this study we attempted to determine the serum levels of asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and nitric oxide (NO) metabolite (nitrite) in preeclampsia patients and compared the levels with those obtained from normal pregnant women. Methods. Ninety pregnant women (19–33 years old) in two groups of preeclampsia and normal were considered during 2012. The levels of ADMA, VEGF, and nitrite were measured in maternal serum samples using ELISA kits. Results. Significant increase of VEGF and nitrite levels was observed in preeclampsia patients when compared with other groups (P<0.05). The serum level of ADMA demonstrated a similar increased trend in preeclampsia patients; however, the increase was not statistically significant (P=0.08). Conclusion. The findings reveal that the elevation of serum levels of VEGF and nitrite and possibly ADMA may be involved in the pathogenesis of preeclampsia.


2016 ◽  
pp. 25-28
Author(s):  
J.M. Melnik ◽  
◽  
A.A. Shlyahtina ◽  

The article presents the predictors of placental dysfunction on the early stage of pregnancy. The objective: the search for prognostic markers and criteria for the occurrence of placental insufficiency in the early stages of the gestational process to optimize the pregnancy and labor with improved perinatal outcomes. Patients and methods. To solve this goal in the period from 2013 to 2015 were conducted a comprehensive survey of 334 pregnant women, which depending on the peculiarities of pregnancy and childbirth were divided into groups. The control group consisted of 236 pregnant women with uncomplicated gestational period, no morphological signs of placental dysfunction. The study group included 98 patients with a complicated pregnancy who had revealed violations of the fetal-placental relations, which was confirmed by morphological examination of the placenta in the postpartum period. Results. It was found that pregnant women with placental insufficiency in the first trimester of pregnancy have higher levels of interleukin-1B (IL-1v) and interleukin-3 (IL-3) in comparison with physiological pregnancy, as well as there is a direct significant correlation between IL-1v and pulsative index (PI) in the spiral (r=0.84) and uterine artery (r=0.77), and the inverse correlation between the level of IL-3 and PI in the terminal branches of the umbilical artery (r=-0.69). Verified an inverse relationship between the concentration of endothelin-1, the level of vascular endothelial growth factor (r=-0.87) and placental growth factor (r=-0.73), and also a direct link between the content of endothelin-1 and PI in spiral arteries (r=0.89), uterine artery (r=0.83) and the terminal branches of the umbilical artery (r=0.79). Conclusion. Thus, it is proven that early predictors of placental dysfunction can be considered the concentration of endothelin-1, vascular endothelial growth factor, placental growth factor, interleukin-1, interleukin-3, and the indices of pulsative index. Key words: placental dysfunction, predictors, endothelin-1, vascular endothelial growth factor, placental growth factor, interleukin, pulsative index.


2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 71-76 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antonietta Gigante ◽  
Luca Navarini ◽  
Domenico Margiotta ◽  
Biagio Barbano ◽  
Antonella Afeltra ◽  
...  

Introduction: Since female sexual dysfunction in systemic sclerosis women is multifactorial, we can assume that vascular damage may play a role in pathogenesis. The aim of the study was to evaluate the clitoral blood flow, by Echo color Doppler, and to correlate it whit serum levels of vascular endothelial growth factor and endostatin. Methods: A total of 15 systemic sclerosis women and 10 healthy controls matched for sex and age were enrolled in this study. Serum VEGF165 and endostatin levels were determined in systemic sclerosis patients by commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit. Clitoral blood flow was measured by Doppler indices of clitoral artery: pulsatile index, resistive index, and systolic/diastolic ratio were measured. Sexual dysfunction was assessed by Female Sexual Function Index. Results: Vascular endothelial growth factor (pg/mL) and endostatin (ng/mL) median values were significantly higher in systemic sclerosis women than healthy controls. Resistive index and systolic/diastolic ratio median values were significantly higher in systemic sclerosis women than healthy controls. Negative correlation exists between serum levels of vascular endothelial growth factor and resistive index (r = −0.55, p < 0.05). Positive correlation was observed between serum levels of endostatin and resistive index (r = 0.70, p < 0.01) and systolic/diastolic ratio (r = 0.77, p < 0.01). Discussion: We can suppose that clitoral blood flow in systemic sclerosis women is reduced not only for macro- and microvascular damage but also for impaired angiogenesis.


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