In a population-based prospective cohort study of 5475 women, we computed gestational age-adjusted multiples of the medians of early pregnancy and midpregnancy PlGF concentrations.
Maternal plasma levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and placental growth factor (PlGF) were lower (P<0.05 for both), whereas soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 (sFlt-1; P<0.05) and the sFlt-1/PlGF ratio (P<0.01) were higher in early pregnancy in the PE group.
Serum PIGF is a promising novel diagnostic biomarker for early pregnancy location and outcome, and large-scale studies are now required to determine its clinical utility.