Maternal Plasma Nerve Growth Factor at the 11⁺⁰-13⁺⁶ Weeks' Scan as a Potential Angiogenic Marker of Preeclampsia: A Pilot Study

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the role of nerve growth factor (NGF) in the first-trimester screening for preeclampsia (PE). Methods: Uterine artery Doppler (UtAD) was determined transvaginally. Maternal concentrations of NGF were assessed in 42 patients who subsequently developed PE and in 95 controls. Quantile and multivariate regression analyses were performed for the NGF and UtAD adjustment and expressed as the multiple of the median (MoM) of the unaffected group. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to identify the best model for the prediction of PE. Results: The maternal plasma concentration of NGF exhibited a trend towards lower values in patients who subsequently developed early-onset PE (e-PE) compared to controls (10.7 vs. 38.2 pg/ml, respectively; p = not significant). The median MoM NGF in the all-PE, e-PE and control groups was 0.97 (95% CI 0.13-3.36), 0.62 (95% CI 0.16-2.19) and 1.00 (95% CI 0.20-2.94), respectively (p = not significant). The best predictors of PE were previous PE, chronic hypertension and UtAD. With a false-positive rate of 10%, the detection rates (DRs) of all-PE and e-PE were 38 and 50%, respectively. The addition of MoM NGF did not improve the DR of PE. Conclusion: First-trimester NGF tends to be lower in patients who subsequently develop e-PE.

Nerve growth factor is closely related to glucose metabolism, insulin sensitivity and insulin secretion in the second trimester: a case-control study in Chinese

“…In our study, serum levels of NGF were signi cantly higher in GDM patients than in normal controls, suggesting the essential role of NGF in GDM. However, the levels of NGF in this study were different from previous reports [22][23][24].…”

Nerve growth factor is closely related to glucose metabolism, insulin sensitivity and insulin secretion in the second trimester: a case–control study in Chinese

“…In our study, serum levels of NGF were significantly higher in GDM patients than in normal controls, suggesting the essential role of NGF in GDM. However, the levels of NGF in this study were different from previous reports [22][23][24]. The difference of sample types might be part of the reasons as most of those studies were conducted with the plasm while we used the serum.…”

Predicción de los grandes síndromes obstétricos

“…Es interesante que la mayoría de los síndromes obstétricos tienen una larga fase subclínica y sus expresiones clínicas son manifestaciones tardías de los procesos fisiopatológicos que los ocasionan 5 . Por ejemplo, la infección intraamniótica 7,8 y el acortamiento cervical [9][10][11] pueden ser asintomáticos y asociarse con un resultado adverso perinatal semanas después; igualmente, las alteraciones del Doppler de las arterias uterinas [12][13][14] y los cambios en las concentraciones de factores angiogénicos y antiangiogénicos [15][16][17] preceden en semanas al desarrollo de un cuadro de preeclampsia o de restricción del crecimiento fetal.…”