A Label-Free Microfiber Biosensor for Auxiliary Diagnosis of Pre-Eclampsia

TL;DR

A new biosensor detects placental growth factor with high sensitivity, offering a faster and more accurate way to diagnose pre-eclampsia.

Contribution

A label-free microfiber biosensor with high sensitivity and rapid detection of placental growth factor for pre-eclampsia diagnosis.

Findings

The biosensor achieved a detection limit of 0.49 pg/mL and detection time under 20 minutes.

Clinical validation showed 78.6% sensitivity, 85.7% specificity, and 82.9% diagnostic accuracy.

A strong correlation was found between placental growth factor levels and clinical severity of pre-eclampsia.

Abstract

Pre-eclampsia (PE) is a serious multiorgan complication
that can
seriously threaten the life and health of pregnant women and their
fetuses. Current clinical diagnosis relies heavily on nonspecific
symptoms, while conventional biomarker assays lack the sensitivity
to detect low concentrations of placental growth factor (PlGF), a
key indicator whose levels drop significantly as PE progresses. This
paper proposed a cascade microfiber (CMF) biosensor that utilizes
the vernier effect for the quantitative detection of PlGF in clinal
serum samples of PE patients. The experimental results show that the
proposed CMF biosensor has a limit of detection as low as 0.49 pg/mL
and a detection time that is less than 20 min. Clinical validation
using serum samples from 35 pregnant women demonstrated that the CMF
biosensor achieved 78.6% sensitivity, 85.7% specificity, and 82.9%
diagnostic accuracy. Importantly, we have established a strong correlation
between PlGF levels and clinical severity, confirming the biomarker’s
auxiliary diagnosis value and reinforcing the sensor’s clinical
relevance. The proposed method could form the basis of a next-generation
diagnostic system for PE that combines high sensitivity, speed, and
simplicity and has the potential to transform current screening protocols
by enabling early intervention and improving maternal–fetal
outcomes.

Figures