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CompletedNCT01261026UNIFESPUpdated Dec 16, 2010

Are Serum Levels of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor a Marker for the Early Diagnosis of Ectopic Pregnancy?

An observational study in Ectopic Pregnancy, sponsored by Federal University of São Paulo. Completed at 1 site in Brazil. Open to female participants aged 15 Years to 40 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2010-12-16.

Sponsored by Federal University of São Paulo · Observational

Study type
Observational
Model
Case-control
Time perspective
Prospective
Ages
15 Years to 40 Years
Sex
Female
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Study summary

OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated serum vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) concentrations in women with ectopic pregnancy (EP), abnormal intrauterine pregnancy (aIUP) and normal intrauterine pregnancy (nIUP).

METHODS: This was a prospective, case-control study comparing serum VEGF concentrations among 72 women with ectopic pregnancy (n=35), abnormal IUP (n=15) and normal IUP (n=22) matched for gestational age. For the determination of serum VEGF concentration a solid phase sandwich ELISA was used. Patients were stratified according to serum VEGF above or below 200pg/mL.

RESULTS: The serum level of VEGF was significantly higher in women with ectopic pregnancy (median 211.1 pg/mL; range 5 - 1017.0 pg/mL) than in women with normal IUP (median 5 pg/mL; range 5- 310.6 pg/mL) P \< 0.0001. Serum VEGF concentrations did not show any statistically significant difference between women with aIUP (median 231.9 pg/mL range 5 - 813.7 pg /mL ) and EP (median 211.1 pg/mL range 5 - 1017.0 pg/mL). When cut-off concentrations of 200 pg/mL for VEGF were used, a nIUP could be distinguished from an unviable (EP and aIUP) with a sensitive of 53%, specificity of 90.9%, a positive predictive value of 92.9% and a negative predictive value of 46.5%..

CONCLUSIONS: Serum VEGF could not distinguish between an EP and an aIUP. However, serum VEGF concentrations above 200 pg/mL could discriminate a nIUP from an unviable pregnancy (EP or aIUP) with a PPV of 92.9%.

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Conditions studied

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In context

Pregnancy, Ectopic

79 studies on the registry are indexed under Pregnancy, Ectopic; 21 are open to participants now.

Browse Pregnancy, Ectopic studies →

Lead sponsor

Federal University of São Paulo is the lead sponsor of 427 studies on the registry; 22 are open to participants now.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

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Who can participate

Ages eligible
15 Years to 40 Years
Sexes eligible
Female
Sampling method
Non-probability sample

Study population

ectopic pregnancy abnormal intrauterine pregnancy normal intrauterine pregnancy

Eligibility criteria

Inclusion Criteria:The inclusion criterion was the presence at transvaginal ultrasound of an extraovarian adnexal mass in women with a suspected ectopic pregnancy (amenorrhea, bleeding and pain) with positive test for beta-hCG.

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Exclusion Criteria:The exclusion criterion was non-tubal ectopic pregnancy (cervical, cesarean scar, ovarian, and abdominal).

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Study design

Observational model
Case-control
Time perspective
Prospective

Groups and cohorts

  • Ectopic pregnancy, extra-uterine pregnancy

    Ectopic pregnancy, control

  • Abnormal intrauterine pregnancy
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Study locations

1 site
  • Federal University of São Paulo
    São Paulo, Brazil
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References and documents

Publications

  • Ugurlu EN, Ozaksit G, Karaer A, Zulfikaroglu E, Atalay A, Ugur M. The value of vascular endothelial growth factor, pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A, and progesterone for early differentiation of ectopic pregnancies, normal intrauterine pregnancies, and spontaneous miscarriages. Fertil Steril. 2009 May;91(5):1657-61. doi: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2008.02.002. Epub 2008 Apr 9. PubMed 18402945 ↗
  • Daponte A, Pournaras S, Zintzaras E, Kallitsaris A, Lialios G, Maniatis AN, Messinis IE. The value of a single combined measurement of VEGF, glycodelin, progesterone, PAPP-A, HPL and LIF for differentiating between ectopic and abnormal intrauterine pregnancy. Hum Reprod. 2005 Nov;20(11):3163-6. doi: 10.1093/humrep/dei218. Epub 2005 Jul 29. PubMed 16055453 ↗
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Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Dec 16, 2010, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
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Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT01261026
Lead sponsor
Federal University of São Paulo
First posted
Dec 16, 2010
Last update
Dec 16, 2010
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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This study is completed, as verified in Dec 2007. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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