Biomarker Test Diagnoses Placental Function

A blood test can identify a biomarker that can aid in the diagnosis of early onset preeclampsia, a leading cause of maternal and perinatal mortality and morbidity.

The measurement of the biomarker, Placental Growth Factor (PlGF), which is involved in placental development, provides a highly sensitive and specific indication of the placental dysfunction, which leads to early onset preeclampsia.

The new test, can aid clinicians in the diagnosis of early onset preeclampsia by measuring the level of PlGF in a plasma sample. After separating plasma from a whole blood sample, the system provides rapid and accurate quantification of PlGF. The test can be performed in a laboratory or clinical setting and it provides results within 15 minutes.

A low PlGF measurement alerts the clinician to the high probability of preeclampsia. PlGF is made by the placenta and it encourages blood vessel growth. PlGF circulates at high concentrations in normal pregnancy, with levels peaking at 32 weeks and decreasing towards full term. However, the concentration of PlGF is significantly decreased in women with early onset preeclampsia. The Alere Triage PLGF test, (Morges, Switzerland), is a reliable diagnostic blood test which potentially can be used close to the mother without the need for elaborate equipment or trained laboratory staff.

Identifying early onset preeclampsia is important because the condition can escalate into dangerous crises. Women with early onset preeclampsia must be closely monitored to ensure the pregnancy is ended by delivery before the onset of serious complications. By accurately identifying which women have placental dysfunction, healthcare resources can be applied to the women at greatest risk of complications.

Christopher Redman, FCRP, FRCOG, an emeritus professor at Oxford University, (Oxford, UK), said, "No complication of human pregnancy is both so common and so dangerous for both mother and baby as preeclampsia. Yet its detection is fraught with uncertainties leading to over management for many expectant mothers while others have serious problems that go undetected.”

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