OBJECTIVE: To investigate the correlation between soluble forms of the intercellular adhesion molecule (sICAM-1) and vascular cell adhesion molecule (sVCAM-1) and the severity of pre-eclampsia or its possible consequences for fetal growth. DESIGN: Prospective observational study. SETTING: Institute of Medical Genetics, University of Oslo, Department of Medical Genetics and Haematological Research Laboratory, Ullevål University Hospital; and the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, The National Hospital, Oslo, Norway. PARTICIPANTS: Seventy-six women with normotensive pregnancies and 157 women with pre-eclampsia divided into three subgroups: mild, severe and pre-eclampsia with fetal growth retardation. METHODS: ELISA-measurements of plasma sICAM-1 and sVCAM-1 were performed in a group of healthy pregnant normotensive women and three groups of women with varying degrees of pre-eclampsia. RESULTS: sICAM-1 concentrations were higher in the pre-eclampsia group compared with the control group, but this difference was not statistically significant. Plasma concentrations of sVCAM-1 were significantly greater (P