This case-control study investigates the link between the sFlt-1:PlGF ratio and stillbirth risk in pregnant women, indicating potential clinical significance.
Key Points
To explore the relationship between maternal circulating sFlt-1:PlGF ratio and the risk of stillbirth using specific cutoff values.
Conducted as a case-control study in rural Bangladesh.
Included pregnant women with singleton pregnancies by 16 weeks’ gestation.
Matched cases of stillbirth with controls of live births in a 1:2 ratio.
Utilized Firth penalized logistic regression to analyze data with adjusted models.
An sFlt-1:PlGF ratio greater than 38 was significantly associated with a 13-fold increased odds of stillbirth.
Similar results were observed for the cutoff of 85 with an odds ratio of 12.95.
High positive predictive values were noted for both cutoffs, 88.9% at 38 and 85.7% at 85.
Negative predictive values were moderate, indicating low ratios do not effectively rule out stillbirth.