title: Plasma from pre-eclamptic women and functional change in myometrial resistance arteries.
abstract: This study assesses the ability of plasma from women with pre-eclampsia to induce altered endothelial function in myometrial resistance vessels from normotensive women. Vessels from normotensive pregnant women (n = 7) were incubated with plasma from other pregnant women who were normotensive (n = 6) or had pre-eclampsia (n = 7). A wire myograph was used to test the endothelium-dependent relaxatory response to bradykinin of preconstricted vessels. The relaxation in vessels incubated with plasma from women with pre-eclampsia was markedly less than in vessels incubated with plasma from normotensive pregnant women (P = 0.039). This supports the theory that a plasma-borne factor contributes to the endothelial changes seen in pre-eclampsia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Nottingham, Nottingham City Hospital, UK.
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Ashworth
authors.forename: A Y
authors.initials: AY
authors.lastname: Warren
authors.forename: I R
authors.initials: IR
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: P N
authors.initials: PN
authors.lastname: Baker
mesh_terms: D001158:Arteries / Q000502:physiology; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009119:Muscle Contraction; D009215:Myometrium / Q000098:blood supply*; D010949:Plasma / Q000502:physiology*; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D014655:Vascular Resistance / Q000502:physiology; D014661:Vasoconstriction / Q000502:physiology