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-liked immunosorbent asseays 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) μmol/L. Mean serum levels of bFGF in normal controls, healthy pregnant women, and women with PIH were O (SD O) μmol/L, 2.6 (SD 6.3) μmol/L, and 6.8 (SD 13.8) μmol/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) μmol/L and 9.5 (SD 17.3) μmol/L, respectively (P = .1). IN a univariate logistic regression model bFGF did not reveal a significant infuence on the odds of developing severe PIH (P = .3).
Conclusions:Elevated serum levels of bFGF are associated with PIH, but aFGF does not seem to be a useful prognostic parameter for severe PIH.
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