Prediction of preterm birth in women with fetal growth restriction – Is the weekly change in sFlt‐1/PlGF ratio or PlGF levels useful?

Abstract Introduction To assess the rate of change in soluble fms‐like tyrosine kinase‐1/placental growth factor (sFlt‐1/PlGF) ratio and PlGF levels per week compared to a single sFlt‐1/PlGF ratio or PlGF level to predict preterm birth for pregnancies complicated by fetal growth restriction. Materia...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Jesrine Hong, Kylie Crawford, Erika Cavanagh, Vicki Clifton, Sailesh Kumar
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2024-06-01
Series:Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1111/aogs.14831
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Abstract Introduction To assess the rate of change in soluble fms‐like tyrosine kinase‐1/placental growth factor (sFlt‐1/PlGF) ratio and PlGF levels per week compared to a single sFlt‐1/PlGF ratio or PlGF level to predict preterm birth for pregnancies complicated by fetal growth restriction. Material and methods A prospective cohort study of pregnancies complicated by isolated fetal growth restriction. Maternal serum PlGF levels and the sFlt‐1/PlGF ratio were measured at 4‐weekly intervals from recruitment to delivery. We investigated the utility of PlGF levels, sFlt‐1/PlGF ratio, change in PlGF levels per week or sFlt‐1/PlGF ratio per week. Cox‐proportional hazard models and Harrell's C concordance statistic were used to evaluate the effect of biomarkers on time to preterm birth. Results The total study cohort was 158 pregnancies comprising 91 (57.6%) with fetal growth restriction and 67 (42.4%) with appropriate for gestational age controls. In the fetal growth restriction cohort, sFlt‐1/PlGF ratio and PlGF levels significantly affected time to preterm birth (Harrell's C: 0.85–0.76). The rate of increase per week of the sFlt‐1/PlGF ratio (hazard ratio [HR] 3.91, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.39–10.99, p = 0.01, Harrell's C: 0.74) was positively associated with preterm birth but change in PlGF levels per week was not (HR 0.65, 95% CI: 0.25–1.67, p = 0.37, Harrell's C: 0.68). Conclusions Both a high sFlt‐1/PlGF ratio and low PlGF levels are predictive of preterm birth in women with fetal growth restriction. Although the rate of increase of the sFlt‐1/PlGF ratio predicts preterm birth, it is not superior to either a single elevated sFlt‐1/PlGF ratio or low PlGF level.
ISSN:0001-6349
1600-0412