Maternal basic fibroblast growth factor serum levels are associated with pregnancy-induced hypertension.

OBJECTIVE

To test the hypothesis that serum levels of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) are altered among women with pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH) and are associated with disease severity.

METHODS

We evaluated serum levels of bFGF in 46 women with PIH, 46 age- and parity-matched healthy pregnant women, and 46 healthy nonpregnant controls. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays were used to determine serum levels of bFGF. Results were correlated to clinical data.

RESULTS

The overall mean serum levels of bFGF were 3.2 (standard deviation [SD] 9.3) micromol/L. Mean serum levels of bFGF in normal controls, healthy pregnant women, and women with PIH were 0 (SD 0) micromol/L, 2.6 (SD 6.3) micromol/L, and 6.8 (SD 13.8) micromol/L, respectively (P =.003) for normal controls compared with healthy pregnant women and P <.001 for healthy pregnant women compared with women with PIH). In a univariate logistic regression model bFGF showed a significant influence on the odds of presenting with PIH compared with healthy pregnant women (P =.002). The mean serum levels of bFGF in women with severe PIH and in women with mild PIH were 4.4 (SD 10.6) micromol/L and 9.5 (SD 17.3) micromol/L, respectively (P =.1). In a univariate logistic regression model bFGF did not reveal a significant influence on the odds of developing severe PIH (P =.3).

CONCLUSIONS

Elevated serum levels of bFGF are associated with PIH, but bFGF does not seem to be a useful prognostic parameter for severe PIH.