The concentration of plasma atrial natriuretic peptide in normotensive and preeclamptic pregnancies.
Atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) is a family of peptides secreted by the heart, affecting the cardiovascular, renal and endocrine systems. This study questions previous research findings regarding elevated ANP levels, despite vasoconstriction and hypovolemia, in preeclamptic patients.


METHODS
Seventeen patients with preeclampsia, 5 with superimposed preeclampsia with chronic hypertension and 17 normotensive pregnant women were compared with respect to plasma ANP levels. Seventeen non-pregnant women were taken as the control group. All the women, except the ones with superimposed preeclampsia, were age matched and in their third trimester.


RESULTS
ANP levels in the non-pregnant women (6.9 +/- 0.7 pg/ml) were not different from those in the normotensive pregnant women (6.4 +/- 0.7 pg/ml). ANP levels were significantly higher in women with preeclampsia (10.8 +/- 1.8 pg/ml) or superimposed preeclampsia (9.7 +/- 1.4 pg/ml) than in normotensive pregnant women and normal non-pregnant women (P < 0.05). According to the literature, there is a volume depletion in preeclamptic women. However, this wasn't demonstrated in our study group.


CONCLUSIONS
ANP levels in preeclamptic women were found to be higher than those in normotensive pregnant women. The etiology still remains obscure.
Senöz
S
S
Dr. Zekai Tahir Burak Women's Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
Sahin
N
N
Ozcan
T
T
Direm
B
B
Gökmen
O
O
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D009320:Atrial Natriuretic Factor / Q000097:blood*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000097:blood*; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000097:blood* / Q000502:physiology; D012016:Reference Values
D009320:Atrial Natriuretic Factor