Soluble Flt1 levels are associated with cardiac dysfunction in Black women with and without severe preeclampsia

ABSTRACT

Background: We evaluate soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 (sFlt-1) levels and cardiac function during pregnancy and postpartum among Black women with and without preeclampsia.

Study design: Prospective longitudinal cohort study from 2015 to 2017 of Black women with preterm severe preeclampsia and normotensive pregnant controls.We obtained echocardiograms and sFlt-1 levels during pregnancy and postpartum.

Results: 93 Black women were included (43 cases, 50 controls). Higher sFlt1 levels were correlated with worse longitudinal strain, diastolic dysfunction, decreased ventricular-arterial coupling, and increased chamber and arterial elastance at the time of preeclampsia diagnosis and postpartum.

Conclusions: Higher sFlt1 levels are associated with cardiovascular dysfunction during pregnancy and postpartum.

KEYWORDS:

• Black women
• cardiac function
• echocardiogram
• longitudinal strain
• preeclampsia
• soluble Flt

Disclosure statement

Dr. Ky is a co-inventor on a pending patent application for the use of sFlt1 as a biomarker in heart failure.

Presentations

These data were presented as an oral presentation at the Annual Meeting for the Society of Maternal Fetal Medicine in Dallas, Texas in February 2018.

Additional information

Funding

This research was supported by the following funds: Women’s Reproductive Health Research [Award: K12-HD001265-15]; Penn Presbyterian Harrison Fund, a FOCUS Junior Faculty Investigator Award for Research in Women’s Cardiovascular Health supported by the Edna G. Kynett Memorial Foundation, and [the McCabe Fund pilot grant award].