Biochemical prognostic markers of pre-eclampsia

Grammatikakis I, Evagelinakis N, Salamalekis G, Kassanos D

3rd Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Athens, Αttiko hospital, Athens, Greece

Correspondence: Grammatikakis I, 105 Likourgou St, GR-17672 Kallithea, Αthens, Greece. E-mail: gramjh@yahoo.gr


Abstract

Pre-eclampsia, a pregnancy-specific disorder, contributes substantially to perinatal morbidity and mortality of both mother and newborn. An increasing number of biochemical agents has been evaluated as markers for predicting pre-eclampsia the last two decades, but none has been proved to be of clinical value yet. Much effort has been put into assessing novel potential markers and their combination with other screening methods such as Doppler sonography. The purpose of this review is to reflect the current knowledge of serum markers for predicting pre-eclampsia. So far, the most promising serum markers (relatively high predictive value, screening at a relatively early stage of pregnancy, and improved diagnostic performance if combined with first trimester Doppler sonography) are placental protein 13 (PP-13), as well as soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 (sFlt-1), placental growth factor (PLGF) and soluble endoglin (sEng). Large-scale prospective studies assessing these markers, are important to justify their clinical use in view of early intervention to prevent pre-eclampsia in the future.

Keywords: preeclampsia, prediction, serum markers

p. 47-55