Clinical significance of HIF-1α hypoxia adaptation marker in pregnant women with initial forms of venous disease

Abstract

Aim: to study the activity of the HIF-1α (hypoxia-inducible factor-1α) hypoxia marker in pregnant women with phlebopathy and its relationship with placenta morphological changes and perinatal complications. Materials and Methods. 70 women with phlebopathy were dynamically examined during pregnancy. The main group consisted of 30 patients with newborns showing signs of hypoxia; the control group consisted of 40 women with healthy children. All women underwent ultrasound examinations of the lower extremity veins and pelvis by assessing vascular patency, state of venous valves, and intensity of platelet sludge. Expression of the HIF-1α transcription factor at gestational age of 18-20 and 36 weeks was performed by using real-time polymerase chain reaction. Results. Altered functional state of the veins was found in all pregnant women from the main group, which was accompanied by formation of varying degree platelet sludge in the area of the venous valves in the majority of women, as well as signs of endothelial dysfunction and venous hypoxia highlighted with HIF1-α gene expression upregulated by 2.18-fold. No changes in such parameters were observed in control group. Conclusion. The transcription factor HIF1-α can be considered as a marker of unfavorable perinatal outcomes in pregnant women with signs of phlebopathy.