Clinical utility of sFlt-1 and PlGF in screening, prediction, diagnosis and monitoring of pre-eclampsia and fetal growth restriction

Abstract

Pre-eclampsia (PE) is characterized by placental and maternal endothelial dysfunction, and associated with fetal growth restriction (FGR), placental abruption, preterm delivery and stillbirth. The angiogenic factors soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 (sFlt-1) and placental growth factor (PlGF) are altered in pregnancies complicated by placenta-related disorders. In this Review, we summarize the existing knowledge, examining the performance of maternal PlGF, sFlt-1 and the sFlt-1/PlGF ratio for screening PE, predicting development of PE in the short term, diagnosing PE, monitoring established PE and predicting other placenta-related disorders in singleton pregnancy. We also discuss the performance of PlGF and the sFlt-1/PlGF ratio for predicting PE in twin pregnancy. For first-trimester screening in singleton pregnancy, a more accurate way of identifying high-risk women than current practice is to combine maternal PlGF levels with clinical risk factors and ultrasound markers. Later in pregnancy, the sFlt-1/PlGF ratio has advantages over PlGF because it has a higher pooled sensitivity and specificity for diagnosing and monitoring PE. It has clinical value because it can rule out the development of PE in the 1-4-week period after the test. Once a diagnosis of PE is established, repeat measurement of sFlt-1 and PlGF can help monitor progression of the condition and may inform clinical decision-making regarding the optimal time for delivery. The sFlt-1/PlGF ratio is useful for predicting FGR and preterm delivery, but the association between stillbirth and the angiogenic factors is unclear. The sFlt-1/PlGF ratio can be used to predict PE in twin pregnancy, although different sFlt-1/PlGF ratio cut-offs from those for singleton pregnancy should be applied for optimal performance. In summary, PlGF, sFlt-1 and the sFlt-1/PlGF ratio are useful for screening, diagnosing, predicting and monitoring placenta-related disorders in singleton and twin pregnancy. We propose that tests for these angiogenic factors are integrated more fully into clinical practice.© 2022 The Authors. Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology.