Serum uric acid correlates with beta 2-microglobulin in pre-eclampsia.

In order to evaluate renal tubular function, beta 2-microglobulin was measured in serum and urine from 15 patients with severe pre-eclampsia and 13 normal pregnant women. In the pre-eclamptic group, the serum beta 2-microglobulin level was significantly higher (p less than 0.05) and urinary excretion/24h significantly lower (p less than 0.05), than in the normal pregnant group. A positive linear correlation between serum uric acid and beta 2-microglobulin was observed both in the pre-eclamptic group (r = 0.79, p less than 0.001) and in the normal pregnant group (r = 0.58, p less than 0.05). This may indicate that production and renal handling of these two substances are interdependent. Tubular function is reduced in normal pregnancy, whereas increased 'net tubular reabsorption' of uric acid and beta 2-microglobulin occurs in pre-eclampsia. The cause of the observed changes in tubular function is still obscure.