title: Plasminogen activators, plasminogen activator inhibitors and markers of intravascular coagulation in pre-eclampsia.
abstract: In pre-eclampsia (PE), reduced levels of plasma urokinase-like plasminogen activator (u-PA) and plasminogen activator inhibitor-2 (PAI-2), and increased levels of plasma tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA) antigen were seen. The majority of moderate and severe pre-eclamptic women (7 out of 10) ended up with pre-term delivery as compared with 2 out of 11 who went on to term. Patients with moderate and severe PE had significantly lower levels (mean +/- SD, ng/ml) of PAI-2 (58.4 +/- 34.9) and u-PA antigen (1.61 +/- 0.62) as compared to those with mild PE (95.6 +/- 39.3 and 1.61 +/- 0.62 and 2.12 +/- 0.61, respectively). Significantly raised t-PA antigen (14.6 +/- 5.7 ng/ml) was seen in moderate and severe PE as compared with mild PE (9.9 +/- 3.4 ng/ml). PAI-1 activity was significantly raised only in moderate and severe PE as compared with normal pregnancy. There were no significant differences in thrombin-antithrombin-III complexes, D-dimer and beta-thromboglobulin levels between the PE group and normal pregnancy, although these parameters were above the non-pregnant levels. Platelets in PE were within the range found in normal pregnancy. It appears that measurements of plasma u-PA and PAI-2 levels in patients with PE may have prognostic value in determining the outcome of pregnancy in this pregnancy disorder.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, National University of Singapore, National University Hospital.
authors.forename: S C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Koh
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Anandakumar
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Montan
authors.forename: S S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Ratnam
mesh_terms: D000990:Antithrombin III / Q000378:metabolism; D001777:Blood Coagulation; D005260:Female; D005338:Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007752:Obstetric Labor, Premature / Q000097:blood; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases / Q000378:metabolism; D017396:Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 2 / Q000097:blood; D010960:Plasminogen Activators / Q000097:blood*; D015849:Plasminogen Inactivators / Q000097:blood*; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000097:blood*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D010959:Tissue Plasminogen Activator / Q000097:blood; D014568:Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator / Q000097:blood; D001620:beta-Thromboglobulin / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D005338:Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products; D017396:Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 2; D015849:Plasminogen Inactivators; C046193:antithrombin III-protease complex; D001620:beta-Thromboglobulin; C036309:fibrin fragment D; D000990:Antithrombin III; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases; D010960:Plasminogen Activators; D010959:Tissue Plasminogen Activator; D014568:Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator