Objective: To discuss the serum endoglin expression in severe pre-eclampsia and eclampsia women and their relationships.
Methods: Forty-two severe pre-eclamptic patients and 4 eclamptic patients in Peking University First Hospital from Dec. 2005 to Dec. 2007 were enrolled in the study group, with the mean gestational week of 35 +/- 4, the mean age of 29.3 +/- 5.7 and the mean BMI (30.1 +/- 4.1) kg/m(2). This group included 25 cases of early onset pre-eclampsia, 21 cases of late onset pre-eclampsia, 8 cases of fetal growth restriction and 5 cases of HELLP syndrome. The control group included 29 cases of normal pregnant women during the same period, with the mean gestational week of 33 +/- 4, the mean age of 30.7 +/- 3.4 and the mean BMI (27.2 +/- 2.2) kg/m(2). Peripheral serum endoglin was determined by ELISA in these two groups.
Results: (1) There is positive correlation between serum soluble endoglin level and the gestational weeks during 27 to 37 gestational weeks in the control group (r = 0.79, P < 0.05), but there is no distinct relationship in the study group (r = 0.31, P > 0.05). (2) Serum endoglin level of severe pre-eclampsia group was higher than the normal group [(14.2 +/- 5.6) microg/L vs. (10.9 +/- 4.2) microg/L, P < 0.05]. (3) Serum endoglin level of early onset group did not differ from late onset group [(14.3 +/- 5.7) microg/L vs. (13.6 +/- 5.0) microg/L, P > 0.05]. (4) No difference of serum endoglin between HELLP group and non-HELLP group was found [(10.1 +/- 2.9) microg/L vs. (14.4 +/- 5.4) microg/L, P > 0.05]. (5) Serum endoglin level of FGR sub group was higher than non-FGR sub group [(17.3 +/- 6.1) microg/L vs. (13.0 +/- 4.8) microg/L, P < 0.05] in the stady group.
Conclusion: The elevated peripheral serum endoglin level may contributes to the pathogenesis of severe pre-eclampsia and FGR, but not the week of the onset of the disease.