Pre-eclampsia markers (PIGF and sFlt-1)
Clinical Background:
Preeclampsia is a serious complication of pregnancy characterized by hypertension and proteinuria after 20 weeks of gestation. It occurs in 3‑5 % of pregnancies and is still one of the leading caus...
Preeclampsia is a serious complication of pregnancy characterized by hypertension and proteinuria after 20 weeks of gestation. It occurs in 3‑5 % of pregnancies and is still one of the leading causes of foetal and maternal morbidity and mortality.
Preeclampsia appears to be due to the release of angiogenic factors from the placenta, such as placental growth factor (PIGF) and soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 (sFlt-1). In women who develop preeclampsia, sFlt‑1 levels have been found to be higher and PlGF levels have been found to be lower than in normal pregnancy.
NICE recommends to “offer placental growth factor (PlGF)-based testing to help rule out pre-eclampsia in women presenting with suspected pre-eclampsia (for example, with gestational hypertension) between 20 weeks and up to 35 weeks of pregnancy” (NG133).
Test Details
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Discipline:
Biochemistry
Biochemistry
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Specimen Container Adult:
Serum (SST tube)
Serum (SST tube)
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Minimum Volume Adult:
1 mL
1 mL
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Sample Stability:
Unseparated sample: unknown
Separated sample: 2 days at +2° to +8°C, 6 months at -20°C
Unseparated sample: unknown
Separated sample: 2 days at +2° to +8°C, 6 months at -20°C
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Interpretation:
Please refer to the Trust guidelines: Hypertension and pregnancy / pre-eclampsia
Please refer to the Trust guidelines: Hypertension and pregnancy / pre-eclampsia
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Reference Ranges:
At 36 gestational weeks, an sFlt-1/PlGF ratio ≤ 38 had a negative predictive value for severe preeclampsia of more than 99 % (Sovio et al, 2017).
At 36 gestational weeks, an sFlt-1/PlGF ratio ≤ 38 had a negative predictive value for severe preeclampsia of more than 99 % (Sovio et al, 2017).
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Routine Contact Name:
Duty Biochemist
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Routine Telephone:
Freeman: 0191 244 8889
RVI: 0191 282 9719Freeman: 0191 244 8889
RVI: 0191 282 9719 -
Routine Email: