Serum angiotensin converting enzyme in pneumonias.

Serum concentrations of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) were studied in pneumonias caused by different pathogens and in cases in which the aetiology could not be defined. In all aetiological groups, except in viral pneumonia, there was a significant increase in ACE during recovery (p less than 0.001). In several patients the lowest values during the acute phase of disease and the highest values during recovery were outside the reference limits. In cases with known aetiology the highest ACE values and the difference between the lowest and the highest values correlated positively with C-reactive protein concentrations at admission (p less than 0.001). The pathophysiology behind the fluctuations of the ACE concentrations is unknown.