{Reference Type}: Observational Study
{Title}: Placental growth factor testing at 19-23 weeks of gestation as a guide to subsequent care in pregnancy: A prospective observational study.
{Author}: Magee LA;Syngelaki A;Akolekar R;von Dadelszen P;Nicolaides KH;
{Journal}: BJOG
{Volume}: 131
{Issue}: 6
{Year}: 2024 May 24
{Factor}: 7.331
{DOI}: 10.1111/1471-0528.17684
{Abstract}: <B>OBJECTIVE: </B>To determine whether serum placental growth factor (PlGF) at 19-23 weeks of gestation can improve the identification of risk for adverse outcomes.<BR><B>METHODS: </B>Prospective observational cohort study.<BR><B>METHODS: </B>Two English maternity units.<BR><B>METHODS: </B>Unselected singleton pregnancies attending routine ultrasound at 19-23 weeks of gestation.<BR><B>METHODS: </B>Outcomes ascertained by health record review. Diagnostic test properties evaluated clinical risk factors for pre-eclampsia (according to National Institute of Care Excellence) or fetal growth restriction (according to Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists), low PlGF at 19-23 weeks of gestation (<5th percentile) or both.<BR><B>METHODS: </B>Pre-eclampsia, gestational hypertension, stillbirth, birthweight below third percentile or neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admission for ≥48 h.<BR><B>RESULTS: </B>In 30 013 pregnancies, risk factors were present in 9941 (33.1%), low PlGF was present in 1501 (5.0%) and both ('two-stage' screening) were present in 547 (1.8%) pregnancies. Risk factors detected 41.7%-54.7% of adverse outcomes, and could not meaningfully revise the risk (all positive likelihood ratios, +LR, <5.0; all negative likelihood ratios, -LR, ≥0.2). Low PlGF detected 8.5%-17.4% of adverse outcomes, but meaningfully increased risks (other than NICU admission) associated with delivery <37 weeks of gestation (+LR = 5.03-15.55); all -LRs were ≥0.2. 'Two-stage' screening detected 4.2%-8.9% of adverse outcomes, with meaningful +LRs (6.28-18.61) at <37 weeks of gestation, except for NICU admission of ≥48 h, which had an +LR of 7.56 at <34 weeks of gestation; all -LRs were ≥0.2. No screening strategy meaningfully increased or decreased the detection of adverse outcome risk at term.<BR><B>CONCLUSIONS: </B>Clinical risk factor screening has a high screen-positive rate and a poor detection of adverse outcomes. False positives cannot be reduced by PlGF testing at 19-23 weeks of gestation; therefore, this cannot be recommended as a useful strategy on its own.