Abstract P301: Preeclampsia and Gestational Hypertension: Does sEng Levels Make the Important Difference Preeclampsia and Gestational Hypertension: Does sEng Levels Make the Important Difference

Abstract

The origin of Preeclampsia (PE), a multi-systemic disorder of pregnancy, lies to a great extent on the balance of the anti-angiogenic and angiogenic proteins during pregnancy. In the present study, we have determined the levels of sFlt-1 and sEng levels (anti-angiogenic protein) and Placental Growth Factor, PlGF (angiogenic Protein) in the serum of the patients with hypertensive disorder of pregnancy (including Gestational Hypertension, GH and PE) and Normotensive (NT) pregnancy. The levels of sFlt-1 were found to be significantly higher in the 3 rd trimester and at term in the hypertensive pregnancy (GH and PE), compared to the NT pregnancy, (8.67±1.93 ng/ml, n=13 vs. 3.95±.37 ng/ml, n=111 at the 3rd trimester and 14.90±2.68 ng/ml, n=15 vs. 6.58±.42 ng/ml, n=111 at term). The levels of sFlt-1 were considerably higher in the PE samples compared to the GH samples, but not significant. Similarly the levels of sEng were found to be significantly higher in the 3 rd trimester and at term in the hypertensive pregnancy (GH and PE), compared to the NT pregnancy (11.18±1.51 ng/ml, n=15 vs. 7.86±.25 ng/ml, n=106 at the 3 rd trimester and 12.68±1.70 ng/ml, n=14 vs. 10.01±.42 ng/ml, n=106 at the term). The levels of sEng were, however, found to be significantly higher in all the trimester and at term in the PE samples compared to the NT Samples ( 6.49±1.14 ng/ml, n=7 vs 4.21±.28 ng/ml, n=106, 6.89±2.30 ng/ml, n=7 vs. 3.76±.25 ng/ml, n=106, 13.10±2.12 ng/ml, n=7 vs. 7.86±.37 ng/ml, n=106, 14.93±2.27 ng/ml, n=7, vs. 10.01±.42 ng/ml, n=106 at the 1 st , 2 nd , 3 rd trimesters and term respectively), but not in the GH samples. The angiogenic protein, PlGF was found to be significantly lower in the hypertensive conditions of pregnancy (PE and GH) samples compared to the NT samples, only in the 3 rd trimester (440±48.58 pg/ml, n=15 vs 1278±104 pg/ml, n=119), although its levels were considerably decreased in the 2 nd trimester and at term, but not significant. Within the hypertensive conditions of pregnancy, the blood pressure increase at term was more in the PE patients compared to the GH patients (42±5.1/25±3.3 mm Hg vs. 18±3.7/13±3.3 mm Hg, p<0.05 ) compared to the BP recorded at the 1 st trimester. The results of the present study indicate a more potent role of sEng in the development of PE.