[Clinical significance of beta-hCG and human placental lactogen in serum of normal pregnancies and patients with pregnancy induced hypertension].

OBJECTIVE

To examine the level of beta-hCG and Human Placental Lactogen (HPL) in maternal serum of normal pregnancies and patients with pregnancy induced hypertension (PIH) and to study the clinical significance and effects of them on the pathogenesis of the disease.

METHODS

Serum levels of beta-hCG and HPL of 142 normal pregnant women and 43 patients with PIH (16 mild, 12 moderate and 15 severe) were determined by radioimmunossay.

RESULTS

(1) Serum levels of beta-hCG in all PIH subgroups [(25.33 +/- 17.80) micrograms/L in mild, (33.12 +/- 4.91) micrograms/L in moderate, (42.19 +/- 17.47) micrograms/L in severe] were significantly higher than the normal pregnant group [(12.33 +/- 7.92) micrograms/L; P < 0.001]. There is positive correlation between levels of beta-hCG and degrees of PIH (r = 0.677, P < 0.05). (2) Serum levels of HPL in all PIH subgroups [(14.73 +/- 3.26) mg/L in mild, (11.44 +/- 4.02) mg/L in moderate, (12.73 +/- 4.18) mg/L in severe] did not show significant difference when compared with that of normal pregnant group [(12.78 +/- 4.67) mg/L; P > 0.05]. Furthermore, there was no correlation between levels of HPL and degrees of PIH (r = -0.300, P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Serum beta-hCG could reflect the degree of functional imbalance of the placental trophoblasts on PIH and it may be used as a clinical detecting index of PIH. On the other hand, HPL is not such a useful factor.