[Study on the relationship between perinatal hypoxia and concentration of endothelin-1 in amniotic fluid].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the relationship between endothelin-1 (ET-1) concentration in amniotic fluid (AF) and perinatal hypoxia.


METHODS
161 cases were measured for amniotic fluid(AF) ET-1 levels by radioimmunoassay. 110 cases of normal pregnancy were included in control group among which 30 term pregnancies were simultaneously measured for maternal and umbilical plasma ET-1. 51 cases of intrauterine hypoxia were the study group.


RESULTS
(1) The AF ET-1 levels showed increasing trend after 14 weeks (P < 0.01). (2) Fetal plasma ET-1 levels were significantly higher than that of maternal plasma ET-1 levels, but lower than those of AF ET-1 (P < 0.01). The ET-1 levels of umbilical plasma had positive correlation with those of AF ET-1 (r = 0.952, P < 0.01), but there is no correlation with levels of maternal plasma ET-1 (r = 0.338, P < 0.05). (3) In study group, the level of AF ET-1 was elevated with severity of hypoxia, the average level of AF ET-1 in cases of intrauterine hypoxia was (30.654 +/- 5.832) ng/L. In cases of severe neonatal asphyxia it was (960.650 +/- 236.698) ng/L.


CONCLUSIONS
The ET-1 exists in AF and gradually increases while pregnancy advanced. AF ET-1 levels can be served as a marker to predict perinatal hypoxia.
Xu
L
L
Qingdao Family Planing Research Institute, Qingdao 266071.
Liu
P
P
Yan
D
D
D000328:Adult; D000653:Amniotic Fluid / Q000378:metabolism*; D001238:Asphyxia Neonatorum / Q000378:metabolism*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D019332:Endothelin-1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000378:metabolism; D005311:Fetal Hypoxia / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D011247:Pregnancy
D015415:Biomarkers; D019332:Endothelin-1