Objective: This study was conducted was to detect vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) levels in peripheral blood of patients with pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH) syndrome and to investigate VEGF correlation with PIH occurrence.
Methods: Double-antibody enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and fluorescent quantitative polymerase chain reaction were used to detect VEGF levels in the peripheral blood of non-pregnant women (normal group, 30 cases), normal pregnant women (pregnancy group, 30 cases) and PIH patients (PIH group, 30 cases).
Results: VEGF level in the pregnancy group was significantly higher than in the normal group, and the difference between these two groups was significant (P < 0.001). In the pregnancy group, VEGF reached the maximum level at the metaphase stage of pregnancy and started to decrease at advanced pregnancy. VEGF level in the PIH group was significantly lower than in the pregnancy group at advanced pregnancy (P < 0.01), and VEGF level significantly and gradually decreased with PIH aggravation (P < 0.05).
Conclusions: The significant decrease of VEGF level after pregnancy was possibly an important factor of PIH pathogenesis.
Keywords: Cardiovascular; Hypertension; Pregnancy complications; Vascular endothelial growth factor.