Biomarkers of Impending Preeclampsia

Preeclampsia, diagnosed in about 5% of pregnancies, is defined as the presence of new-onset hypertension and proteinuria after 20 weeks' gestation. Placental vascular dysfunction has been shown to precede the onset of preeclampsia, causing an increase in placental secretion of an antiangiogenic factor (soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase 1; sFlt-1) and a decrease in secretion of an angiogenic factor (placental growth factor; PlGF). In an industry-supported study, investigators explored the clinical value of …