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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 measuring circulating sFlt-1:PlGF ratios to identify impending preeclampsia in women suspected of having the disorder based on symptoms or the presence of isolated hypertension or proteinuria.
Among 550 pregnant women with suspected preeclam…