2024 Volume 12 Issue 4 Pages 92-97
Aim: To compare serum levels of placental growth factor (PlGF) and soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase 1 (sFlt-1) and the serum sFlt-1/PlGF ratio in a case of isolated HELLP syndrome and cases of HELLP syndrome accompanied by either gestational hypertension (GH) or preeclampsia.
Methods: We measured serum levels of sFlt-1 and PlGF using Elecsys sFlt-1 and Elecsys PlGF assays in a patient with isolated HELLP syndrome (case patient) and 14 women with HELLP syndrome accompanied by either GH or preeclampsia (controls). The one-sample t-test was used to compare data between the case patient and controls.
Results: The serum log10 PlGF level was markedly higher in the case patient than in controls (3.356 vs. mean [−SD–+SD]: 1.817 [1.547–2.087], P<0.001). The serum log10 sFlt-1 level was significantly lower in the case patient than in controls (3.972 vs. 4.190 [3.899–4.481], P=0.015). The serum log10 (sFlt-1/PlGF) was markedly lower in the case patient than in controls (0.616 vs. 2.373 [1.988–2.758], P<0.001).
Conclusion: Increases in serum levels of both PlGF and sFlt-1 may be characteristic of isolated HELLP syndrome.