Investigation of thrombomodulin and plasminogen activator inhibitor type-I in pregnancy induced hypertension and its clinical significance.

OBJECTIVE

To measure the circulating levels of thrombomodulin (TM) and plasminogen activator inhibitor type-I (PAI-I) in women with pregnancy induced hypertension (PIH).

METHODS

Blood samples were drawn from 97 pregnant women in their third trimester, grouped as 25 mild PIH, 26 moderate PIH, 22 severe PIH and 24 normotensive healthy pregnant women for determining levels of TM by ELISA, PAI-I by colorimetric assay methods, and creatinine (Cr) in serum by biochemical method.

RESULTS

Circulating levels of TM, PAI-I and TM/Cr ratio increased with increasing severity of PIH. There were no significant differences between mild and normotensive pregnant women. The parameters were significantly changed in the moderate and severe PIH groups.

CONCLUSION

TM and PAI-I may serve as meaningful clinical markers for the assessment of the endothelial damage in PIH, which is very important in evaluating and following the development of PIH.