[Significance of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system for pathogenesis and early diagnosis of pregnancy-induced hypertension with special reference to mineralocorticoid receptors].
OBJECTIVE
In women with pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH) the density of mineralocorticoid receptors (MR) in human mononuclear leukocytes (HML) is reduced compared with healthy pregnant women. The same applies to plasma levels of aldosterone and 18-hydroxycorticosterone. In this study, we investigated whether alterations of these parameters preceded the development of clinical symptoms and, therefore, might be potential predictors of PIH involved in the pathogenesis.


METHODS
In eighty-four women belonging to the risk-group for PIH but not showing any symptoms neither of PIH nor preeclampsia (PE) we characterized prospectively before the onset of disease in the second trimester of pregnancy mineralocorticoid receptor status in HML and steroid plasma levels of aldosterone and its precursors as well as cortisol through radioimmunoassay.


RESULTS
15 women developed PIH, three of which developed PE. Neither in the density of MR nor in the affinity the women that developed PIH showed any difference from healthy women. Steroid plasma levels were identical as well.


CONCLUSIONS
We conclude that a reduction of mineralocorticoid receptors does not precede PIH within the peripheral blood. But still one can assume that the RAAS may be involved in the pathogenesis of PIH, possibly on a local level within the placenta or as a secondary change, initiated by still unknown factors.
Gerding
C
C
Universitäts-Frauenklinik Heidelberg.
Lorenzen
A
A
Wacker
J
J
Rehberger
I
I
Werner
P
P
Schwabe
U
U
Bastert
G
G
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018161:Receptors, Mineralocorticoid / Q000502:physiology*; D012084:Renin-Angiotensin System / Q000502:physiology*; D012307:Risk Factors
D018161:Receptors, Mineralocorticoid