Dr. Ernesto Figueiro (MD, PhD) is a maternal fetal medicine specialist at Regina General Hospital and associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the USask's College of Medicine Regina Campus.
Dr. Ernesto Figueiro (MD, PhD) is a maternal fetal medicine specialist at Regina General Hospital and associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the USask College of Medicine Regina Campus.

Funding boosts USask team developing test to determine preeclampsia risk

Dr. Ernesto Figueiro (MD, PhD) and his team are conducting clinical research on the use of placental growth factor (PlGF) test as a tool to manage high-risk pregnancies, aiming to improve outcomes for Saskatchewan mothers and babies. A $150,000 grant will help expand the team as they develop the test for clinical use.

By AMANDA SYMYNUK

PlGF is a protein produced by the placenta that is released into the mother’s blood. If the placenta is healthy, it can release significant amounts of PlGF, but when the protein levels are low or very low, the mother can have a high chance of developing preeclampsia (elevated blood pressures during pregnancy).

In Figueiro’s clinical research project, ‘Placental Growth Factor as a Tool for Obstetrical Management of High-Risk Pregnancies,’ a blood test is used to determine the level of PlGF in the mother’s blood. This helps with the management of preeclampsia and intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), in a population with a high prevalence of diabetes.

Figueiro received a SHRF grant for the clinical research project.

“Our preliminary local data (unpublished) show it is a good test, and we’re developing protocols for use in a clinical setting,” said Figueiro, who is a maternal fetal medicine specialist at Regina General Hospital and an associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the College of Medicine's Regina Campus.

"At the end of the day, patient care is the most important goal. We’re doing this research to improve maternal and fetal outcomes.”

The PlGF test can help identify high-risk and low-risk pregnancies for preeclampsia. In the case of low-risk pregnancies, the testing can potentially reduce the amount of travel for testing for patients who live in rural areas.

Figueiro received a $150,000 Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation (SHRF) Establishment Grant for this research project, ‘Placental Growth Factor as a Tool for Obstetrical Management of High-Risk Pregnancies.’ The grants, which provide up to $150,000 over three years, are designed to help researchers establish a health research program that addresses local health challenges. They are also to assist researchers achieve the productivity that is necessary to achieve major funding from national agencies.

The grant funding will be used to expand the team and hire a graduate student.

“I couldn’t do this project on my own,” said Figueiro. “Without a team, research is not possible.”

The team includes research specialists and physicians in College of Medicine departments including pathology, biochemistry, and pediatrics, along with medical students.

Alyx Orieux, a third-year medical student, initiated a search for an obstetrics-focused research project in her second year of studies. Her networking efforts resulted in a serendipitous connection with Figueiro, who was searching for a student to conduct data collection. In May, Orieux presented preliminary data in two posters at the Canadian National Perinatal Research Meeting (CNPRM) in Quebec.

“The experience (of working on this project) has been awesome,” said Orieux. “I got a crash course in obstetrics and gynecology before I learned it in class and can see how the research is going to impact patients.”

The research team in Regina is one of two teams in Canada conducting research on PlGF testing. Outcomes are compared with peers at Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto, where Figueiro completed a fellowship in Maternal Fetal Medicine.

For more information about SHRF grants, visit www.shrf.ca. For more information about the College of Medicine Regina Campus, visit medicine.usask.ca/regina.