Fibrinogen and histidine-rich glycoprotein in early-onset preeclampsia

Objective. To determine whether plasma levels of fibrinogen and the placental tissue distributions of fibrinogen and histidine-rich glycoprotein (HRG) differ between early- and late-onset preeclampsia. Design. The study comprised 18 women with early-onset (gestational weeks 24-32) and 19 women with late-onset (gestational weeks 35-42) preeclampsia. As controls concerning the plasma levels of fibrinogen, we used samples from non-pregnant fertile women, healthy pregnant women at gestational weeks 24-32 and healthy pregnant women at gestational weeks 35-42. Placental samples from women with healthy pregnancies at gestational weeks 35-42 served as controls in the immunohistochemical staining. Setting. Uppsala University Hospital, Uppsala. Methods. Plasma fibrinogen levels were analyzed and the placental tissue expression of fibrinogen and HRG determined by immunohistochemistry. Results. Plasma level of fibrinogen was increased in early-onset, but not late-onset, preeclampsia. Levels of fibrinogen were significantly lower, and that of HRG significantly higher, in placentas from women with early-onset preeclampsia as compared with control placentas (p = 0.01 and 0.001). Conclusions. HRG and fibrinogen might be involved in the hypercoagulability and the angiogenic imbalance seen in early-onset preeclampsia.