Placental growth factor as a predictive marker of preeclampsia in twin pregnancy

Objectives: Placental growth factor (PlGF) has been reported as a good biomaker for the prediction of preeclampsia occurring in the short term in singleton pregnancies, in women presenting with clinical suspicion of preeclampsia. This study aims to evaluate the predictive value of the PlGF in twin pregnancies.

Methods: Twin pregnancies with clinically suspected preeclampsia (24 weeks 0 days-36 weeks 6 days of gestation) were enrolled in this study. The threshold of PlGF for predicting preeclampsia was determined on the basis of a receiver-operating characteristic curve to predict preeclampsia and the short-term occurrence of preeclampsia.

Results: Within 1 week, 2 weeks, and 4 weeks of testing respectively, a cutoff value of 215 pg/mL for PlGF to predict preeclamsia in twin pregnancies suspected to have preeclampsia has a specificity of 100 %[51.7 %, 100 %], 100 %[62.9 %, 100 %], 93.8 %[667.6 %, 99.7 %], and a negative predictive value of 100 %[94.8 %, 100 %], 100 %[95.0 %, 100 %], and 98.9 %[93.0 %, 99.9 %].

Conclusions: A cutoff value of 215 pg/mL for PlGF is a useful tool to exclude the development of preeclampsia within 4 weeks of measurement.