Circulating endothelial progenitor cells and placental abruption in women with preeclampsia

ObjectiveAbnormalities in circulating angiogenic factors and endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) have been reported in patients with preeclampsia and placental abruption. The objective of this study was to determine whether the number of EPCs is altered in patients with placental abruption.DesignA case control study.SettingHiroshima University Hospital in Japan.SamplePregnant Japanese women with preeclampsia (n = 27) and those without any complications (n = 15).MethodThe EPC (CD45lowCD34+CD133+ cells) counts were examined using flow cytometry in peripheral blood collected from 27 women with preeclampsia and 15 normal pregnant women. Among the 27 women with preeclampsia, five subsequently developed placental abruption. All subjects were divided into three groups: normal pregnancy (NP, n = 15), preeclampsia without placenta abruption (PE, n = 22) and preeclampsia with placental abruption (PA, n = 5).Main outcome measuresThe EPC counts were measured in pregnant women with preeclampsia who subsequently developed placental abruption.ResultsThe EPC count in the PE group significantly decreased in comparison to that observed in the NP group (620 cells/ml versus 1918 cells/ml, P < 0.01). In the PA group, the EPC count was found to markedly decrease in comparison to that observed in the PE group (221 cells/ml, P < 0.05).ConclusionsThe number of EPCs was found to significantly decrease in preeclamptic women who subsequently developed placental abruption.