# Placental Growth Factor and Female Long-Term Hypertension

## TL;DR

This study finds that placental growth factor (PlGF) levels in young women are linked to higher blood pressure years after pregnancy, suggesting it could predict long-term hypertension.

## Contribution

The novel contribution is identifying PlGF as a potential predictor of hypertension in women, independent of pregnancy complications.

## Key findings

- PlGF levels are positively associated with systolic blood pressure six years after pregnancy.
- PlGF is linked to increased diastolic blood pressure four and eight years post-pregnancy.
- PlGF is not associated with intima-media thickness or retinal measurements.

## Abstract

Background and Aims: Placental growth factor (PlGF) is an important predictive marker of pregnancy complications such as preeclampsia. The aim of this study is to assess whether PlGF measured outside of pregnancy is a predictive marker for cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk in young women. Methods: This study was embedded in the Generation R Study, a population-based prospective cohort study. PlGF concentrations, as well as systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP and DBP), cardiac outcomes, carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity, and central retinal arteriolar and venular calibres of 5077 women, were assessed six years after pregnancy, which was considered baseline. Four years after baseline, we measured blood pressure and intimal media thickness (IMT). Eight years after baseline, we measured blood pressure and the post-occlusive reactive hyperaemia index (PORH index). In addition, we examined the influence of pregnancy complications on these associations. Results: We found a positive association between PlGF levels with SBP (0.46, 95% CI 0.04; 0.89). PlGF was not associated with retinal or echocardiographic measurements. PlGF was positively associated with DBP after four years and with both SBP and DBP eight years after baseline, independent of the occurrence of pregnancy complications. PlGF was not associated with IMT or the PORH index. Conclusions: PlGF is associated with higher blood pressure. PlGF may, therefore, be used as a marker of hypertension. These results need to be replicated in an independent cohort study.