Expression and significance of serum soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase 1 (sFlt-1), CXC chemokine ligand 16 (CXCL16), and lipocalin 2 (LCN-2) in pregnant women with preeclampsia

BACKGROUND To explore the value of serum soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase 1 (sFlt-1), CXC chemokine ligand 16 (CXCL16), and lipocalin 2 (LCN-2) in the diagnosis and grading of preeclampsia (PE). METHODS A total of 186 patients with PE diagnosed and treated in our hospital were included. According to the disease severity, the patients were divided into the mild PE group (99 cases) and the severe PE group (87 cases). A total of 72 healthy pregnant women who underwent antenatal care were selected as the healthy control group. The levels of serum sFlt-1, CXCL16, and LCN-2 before medication were compared among the patients, and the diagnosis and grading value of the above 3 indicators were analyzed. RESULTS For PE patients vs. healthy controls, the levels of sFlt-1 (132.71±14.49 vs. 68.43±9.28 µg/L), CXCL16 (2.15±0.35 vs. 0.61±0.12 µg/L), and LCN-2 (70.81±8.25 vs. 19.22±3.14 µg/L) were all significantly higher in PE patients than in the healthy controls (P