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CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · Geburtshilfe Frauenheilkd 2024; 84(07): 629-634
DOI: 10.1055/a-2320-5843
GebFra Science
Review

Significance of the sFlt-1/PlGF Ratio in Certain Cohorts – What Needs to be Considered?

Article in several languages: English | deutsch
Oliver Graupner 
1   Klinik und Poliklinik für Frauenheilkunde, Universitätsklinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, München, Germany (Ringgold ID: RIN27190)
,
Stefan Verlohren
2   Klinik für Geburtsmedizin, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
,
Tanja Groten 
3   Klinik für Geburtsmedizin, Universitätsklinikum Jena, Jena, Germany
,
Dietmar Schlembach
4   Klinik für Geburtsmedizin, Klinikum Neukölln, Vivantes Netzwerk für Gesundheit GmbH, Berlin, Germany (Ringgold ID: RIN27157)
,
Holger Stepan
5   Klinik für Geburtsmedizin, Universitätsklinikum Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany (Ringgold ID: RIN39066)
,
Bettina Kuschel
1   Klinik und Poliklinik für Frauenheilkunde, Universitätsklinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, München, Germany (Ringgold ID: RIN27190)
,
Anne Karge
1   Klinik und Poliklinik für Frauenheilkunde, Universitätsklinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, München, Germany (Ringgold ID: RIN27190)
,
Ulrich Pecks
6   Klinik für Gynäkologie und Geburtshilfe, Universitätsklinikum Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany (Ringgold ID: RIN27207)
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Abstract

The sFlt-1/PlGF ratio is an established tool in clinical practice, where it is part of a diagnostic algorithm and informs the prognosis of preeclampsia (PE). Maternal and gestational comorbidities can affect the performance of the sFlt-1/PlGF ratio and its constituent elements, and a good understanding of the potential pitfalls is required. The objective of this paper was to provide a current narrative review of the literature on the diagnostic and predictive performance of the sFlt-1/PlGF ratio in specific patient cohorts. Potential factors which can negatively affect the clinical interpretability and applicability of the sFlt-1/PlGF ratio include chronic kidney disease, twin pregnancy, and maternal obesity. Pathophysiological mechanisms related to these factors and disorders can result in different concentrations of sFlt-1 and/or PlGF in maternal blood, meaning that the use of standard cut-off values in specific cohorts can lead to errors. To what extent the cut-off values should be adapted in certain patient cohorts can only be clarified in large prospective cohort studies. This applies to the use of the ratio both for diagnosis and prognosis.

Keywords

sFlt-1/PlGF ratio - angiogenic factors - preeclampsia


Publication History

Received: 07 March 2024

Accepted after revision: 05 May 2024

Article published online:
09 July 2024

© 2024. The Author(s). This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial-License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commercial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

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