METHODS: The present cross-sectional analytical study was performed in normal and PE primigravidae (n = 10 in each group) who were admitted to the North Okkalapa General and Teaching Hospital from February 2019 to February 2020. Serum samples were collected immediately before delivery, and placental tissues were collected immediately after emergency or elective cesarean section. The expression of placental eNOS was measured by western blot, and the levels of ET-1 in placental tissue homogenates and in the serum were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).
RESULTS: The PE group had significantly higher serum levels of ET-1 (median: 116.56 pg/mL; IQR: 89.14-159.62 pg/mL) than the normal group (median: 60.02 pg/mL; IQR: 50.89-94.37 pg/mL) (p placentae (median: 0.007 pg/µg of total protein; IQR: 0.002-0.0123 pg/µg of total protein; and median: 0.005 pg/µg of total protein; IQR: 0.003-0.016 pg/µg of total protein respectively). The median and IQR values of relative placental eNOS expression were significantly higher in the PE group than in the normal group (p
MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a retrospective, cross-sectional study from January 1, 2015 to December 31, 2015. A total of 30 placentae comprised of 15 hypertensive and 15 normotensive cases were assessed. VEGF expression in placenta was assessed by immunohistochemistry, and the number of syncytial knots was counted.
RESULTS: Our study showed an increased syncytial knot formation in the placenta of hypertensive mothers. VEGF expression was seen in syncytiotrophoblasts of 14 of the hypertensive cases (14/15, 93.3%), while only two of the normotensive cases were positive (2/15, 13.3%). There were no statistically significant differences in VEGF expression in other placenta cells, that is, cytotrophoblasts (P = 1.0), decidual cells (0.1394), maternal endothelial cells (0.5977), and fetal endothelial cells (P = 1.0).
CONCLUSIONS: This study showed an increased number of syncytial knots is a consistent histological finding in the placenta of patient with HDP. VEGF expression was significantly increased in syncytiotrophoblasts in placenta of hypertensive group, and it could be used as a biomarker for hypertension.
CASE PRESENTATION: We report a case of a 21-year-old local Sarawakian woman with partial molar pregnancy who presented with severe pre-eclampsia in which the baby was morphologically normal, delivered prematurely, and there was a single large placenta showing molar changes.
CONCLUSION: Even though the incidence of this condition is very rare, recognizing and diagnosing it is very important for patient care and it should be considered and looked for in patients presenting with pre-eclampsia.