[Plasma VEGF levels are increased in women with severe preeclampsia or HELLP syndrome].
To investigate vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) serum levels in severe preeclampsia (PE) and HELLP syndrome. Serum concentrations of VEGF, progesterone, estradiol and estriol were measured in 16 patients with PE and 14 patients with HELLP syndrome and in 30 well-matched normotensive pregnant controls. Determination of VEGF was performed by a commercially available immunoassay (Quantikine(R), R&D Systeme, Wiesbaden), those of sex steroids by a radioimmunoassay (Fa. Biermann, Bad Nauheim). Serum VEGF levels were significantly higher in the study than in the control group (172.0 +/- 98.9 pg/ml versus 41.4 +/- 30.5 pg/ml, U-Test: p < 0.001). In patients with HELLP syndrome mean serum VEGF concentrations were increased when compared with healthy controls but serum levels were significantly lower than in patients with PE (109.2 +/- 68.5 pg/ml versus 219.0 +/- 72.9, U-Test: p < 0.05). We could demonstrate a positive correlation between VEGF and estradiol serum concentrations in the study and control patients (Spearman rang correlation: p < 0.05). It is concluded that patients suffering from PE or HELLP syndrome have either an increased placental expression of VEGF as a result of hypoxia or show an increased extraplacental production of this growth factor such as in maternal or fetal endothelial cells, macrophages or smooth muscle tissue.