Role of Maternal Serum Fibroblast Growth Factor 21 Level in Prediction of Preeclampsia

Abstract Background Pregnancy complications resulting from hypertensive disorders are a serious problem that impact 2-10% of all pregnancies globally. Preeclampsia is defined as new onset hypertension and proteinuria after 20 weeks of gestation which may be associated with other maternal organ dysfunction, such as liver or renal insufficiency, hematological or neurological complications, uteroplacental dysfunction and fetal growth restriction. Aim of the Work To establish the relationship between maternal serum fibroblast growth factor 21 levels and preeclampsia as a predictor for preeclampsia. Patients and Methods This was a Nested case-control study that was conducted on 90 primigravidas at Ain Shams University maternity hospital from April 2021 to April 2022. Results our study showed that there was a significant difference in FGF21 levels between the groups, patients with preeclampsia having higher levels than controls, 15.9% of patients with preeclampsia experienced maternal complications compared to none in the control group. Meanwhile, 18.2% of patients with preeclampsia experienced fetal complications compared to 0% in the control group. Conclusion Serum FGF-21 levels are significantly higher in preeclamptic pregnant women compared to healthy normotensive pregnant women. So, it can be used as a predictor for preclampsia and maternal complications