title: Elevated serum group II phospholipase A2 levels are associated with decreased blood flow velocity in the umbilical artery.
abstract: Twenty-two hospitalized patients, diagnosed as having hypertensive disorder of pregnancy, were selected from two University Clinics. Maternal serum samples were analyzed for serum group II phospholipase A2 (PLA2-II) by time-resolved fluoroimmunoassay. At the same time, umbilical artery blood flow velocities were measured with color Doppler sonography for orientation and pulsatile Doppler sonography for recording waveforms. Nineteen normotensive third-trimester pregnant patients served as a control group. Maternal serum PLA2-II was elevated in 8 cases with preeclampsia. This elevation was invariably associated with decreased blood flow velocity in the umbilical artery. In 1 case, the clinical condition allowed simultaneous follow-up of serum enzyme and blood flow velocity: a further rise of serum PLA2-II was linked to a further decrease in the blood flow velocity of the umbilical artery. A large spillover of the elevated PLA2-II content from the preeclamptic placenta into the maternal serum is associated with a decrease in blood flow velocity in the umbilical artery. The enzyme might serve as a link between local proximal (placenta) and systemic distal (umbilical arterial blood flow) effectors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Turku, Finland.
authors.forename: M O
authors.initials: MO
authors.lastname: Pulkkinen
authors.forename: A K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Poranen
authors.forename: A I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Kivikoski
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Nevalainen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010741:Phospholipases A / Q000097:blood*; D054467:Phospholipases A2; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000503:physiopathology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011249:Pregnancy Complications, Cardiovascular / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014469:Umbilical Arteries / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D010741:Phospholipases A; D054467:Phospholipases A2