Fetal and maternal plasma endothelin levels during the second half of pregnancy.
OBJECTIVE
Our objective was to evaluate maternal and fetal endothelin concentrations in uncomplicated pregnancies across the second half of pregnancy.


METHODS
Paired (n = 64) maternal venous and fetal umbilical venous or arterial samples were obtained during cordocentesis. In addition, eight neonatal umbilical vein samples were obtained immediately after delivery. Samples were assessed for hematocrit and pH, and concentrations of endothelin were measured by sensitive enzyme immunoassay.


RESULTS
No significant correlation was found between either fetal or maternal endothelin levels and gestational age (r = 0.01, p = 0.91 and r = 0.07, p = 0.5, respectively). Fetal plasma endothelin concentrations were significantly lower than neonatal umbilical vein endothelin levels [median 2.5 pg/ml (range 0.9 to 5.73) vs 15.77 pg/ml (8.12 to 19.58), respectively; p < 0.0001] but significantly higher than maternal levels [1.3 pg/ml (0.8 to 3.25); p < 0.0001]. In addition, endothelin values were higher in the umbilical artery than in the umbilical vein, but this difference failed to achieve statistical significance [2.89 pg/ml (1.61 to 5.73) vs 2.29 pg/ml (0.9 to 5.70), respectively; p = 0.06]. No correlation was noted between fetal and maternal endothelin levels (r = 0.12, p = 0.36).


CONCLUSIONS
Fetal endothelin levels were significantly higher than maternal levels, but neither correlated with gestational age across the second half of pregnancy.
Radunovic
N
N
Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Science, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY 10029-6574.
Lockwood
C J
CJ
Alvarez
M
M
Nastic
D
D
Petkovic
S
S
Berkowitz
R L
RL
D016232:Endothelins / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000097:blood*; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second; D011263:Pregnancy Trimester, Third
D016232:Endothelins