[The changes of plasma endothelin-1 and calcitonin gene-related peptide levels in patients with pregnancy induced hypertension].

OBJECTIVE

To study the changes and clinical significance of plasma endothelin (ET-1) and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) levels in patients with pregnancy induced hypertension (PIH).

METHODS

Plasma ET-1 and CGRP were studied by immunoradiological method in 60 patients with pregnancy induced hypertension (PIH) and 23 normal pregnant women and 20 normal non-pregnant women.

RESULTS

The levels of plasma ET-1 in patients with PIH were significantly higher than those in healthy pregnancies (P < 0.01). There was a positive correlation between the plasma ET-1 level and degree of PIH; the higher the ET-1 level, the severer the PIH. The levels of plasma CGRP in patients with moderate and severe PIH decreased significantly than those in healthy pregnancy. There was a negative correlation between the plasma CGRP level and ET-1 level.

CONCLUSION

The results suggest that plasma ET-1 and CGRP concentration could be used as indicators for the severity of PIH. CGRP may be one of the antagonists of ET-1 in the pathogenesis of PIH.