Adenosine deaminase activity in subjects with normal pregnancy, pregnancy induced hypertension and pre-eclampsia.

BACKGROUND

Both pregnancy and adenosine deaminase (ADA) are associated with depressed cellular mediated immunity. There is little information on ADA activity in pregnant Africans.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the serum levels of adenosine deaminase (ADA) in normal pregnancy and pregnancy complicated by hypertension in Nigerian women.

METHODS

One hundred and twenty-five pregnant women comprising 35 normal non-pregnant women, 35 normal pregnant women, 35 pregnant women with pregnancy induced hypertension and 20 patients with pre-eclampsia were recruited for the study. Serum adenosine deaminase enzyme (ADA) activity was measured by the Giusti and Galanti spectrophotometric method in all study subjects.

RESULTS

The mean serum ADA level in the non-pregnant women was higher than that in the normal pregnant women (23.21 +/- 6.3 v 14.69 +/- 3.2, p<0.001). Amongst the pregnant women, mean serum ADA in the hypertensive and pre-eclamptic women was significantly higher than that in the normal pregnant group (p<0.001).

CONCLUSION

These findings indicate a probable decrease in cellular immunity in normal pregnancy and an enhanced cell mediated immunity in pre-eclampsia.