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.