Vascular endothelial growth factor gene +936 C/T polymorphism is associated with preeclampsia in Korean women.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to evaluate potential associations between vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) gene polymorphisms and preeclampsia.

STUDY DESIGN

One hundred ten patients with preeclampsia and 209 healthy pregnant control subjects were enrolled in the study. After peripheral blood was obtained from all women and the genomic DNA was isolated, we genotyped +936C/T polymorphisms in the 3'-untranslated region of the VEGF gene, using polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism techniques.

RESULTS

The distribution of genotypes of the +936C/T polymorphism was significantly different between women with preeclampsia and the control group (P < .001). Carriage of the +936T allele was significantly more frequent in preeclamptic patients than in control subjects (odds ratio, 2.06; 95% CI,1.38-3.08). Logistic regression analysis on VEGF genotype and clinical parameters such as age, educational status, body mass index, and neonatal gender showed carriage of the 936T allele to be significantly more frequent in preeclamptic patients than in control subjects (adjusted odds ratio, 2.23; 95% CI, 1.46-3.42).

CONCLUSION

Carriage of the +936T allele of the VEGF gene may be associated with increased susceptibility to the development of preeclampsia and may be an independent risk factor for preeclampsia.