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Human Reproduction, Vol. 17, No. 12, 3231-3234, December 2002
© 2002 European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and discrimination between abnormal intrauterine and ectopic pregnancy

Elisabeth Kucera-Sliutz1,4, Ingrid Schiebel1, Franz König2, Sepp Leodolter1, Gerhard Sliutz1 and Heinz Koelbl3

1 Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, University of Vienna, Waehringer-Guertel 18–20, 2 Department of Medical Statistics, University of Vienna, Schwarzspanierstrasse 17, 1090 Vienna, Austria and 3 Department of Gynaecology, Martin-Luther University, 06097 Halle/Saale, Germany

BACKGROUND: This study evaluated serum vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) levels in women with abnormal intrauterine and ectopic pregnancies (EP) at 6 weeks gestation. METHODS: We conducted a prospective case–control study comparing serum VEGF concentrations among 84 women with abnormal intrauterine and EP matched for gestational age (42 women in each group). We analysed whether serum VEGF levels >200 pg/ml would discriminate between abnormal intrauterine pregnancies and EP at 6 weeks gestation, and we calculated sensitivity, specificity and positive predictive values. RESULTS: Serum VEGF concentrations did not show statistically significant differences between women with abnormal intrauterine pregnancies (median, 198.5 pg/ml; range, 0–701.6) and EP (median, 211.2 pg/ml; range 0–628.8). When threshold concentrations of a serum VEGF level >200 pg/ml were used, abnormal intrauterine pregnancy could be distinguished from EP with a sensitivity of 56%, a specificity of 51%, and a positive predictive value of 53%. CONCLUSIONS: VEGF does not discriminate ectopic from abnormal intrauterine pregnancies at 6 weeks gestation, and thus should not be used in clinical management.

Key words: ectopic/pregnancy/VEGF

4 To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: elisabeth.kucera{at}akh-wien.ac.at


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