[Inhibins and Activin A in hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy and HELLP-Syndrome].
OBJECTIVE
Are serum concentrations of the ovarian glycoproteins inhibin A, inhibin B, pro-alpha-C and activin A different in normotensive, chronical hypertensive or pregancies complicated by preeclampsia or HELLP-syndrome? What are the clinical consequences?


METHODS
Serum concentrations of inhibin A, inhibin B, pro-alpha-C, and activin A of 99 women (37 normotensive patients, 23 patients with chronical hypertension, 25 women with preeclampsia and 14 patients with HELLP-syndrome) at different stages of pregnancy were determined by high specific ELISAS.


RESULTS
During pregnancy serum levels of all parameters increased continually and fell rapidly within parturition. Activin A and inhibin B levels showed significant higher serum concentrations in patients with preeclampsia and - even more pronounced - in patients with HELLP-syndrome. Normotensive and chronically hypertensive patients were not different.


CONCLUSIONS
Activin A and inhibin A appear to be viable candidates as laboratory parameters for detection of pregnancy induced hypertension. Maybe furthermore both parameters will allow the discrimination between chronic hypertension and hypertension induced by pregnancy.
Seufert
R
R
Universitätsfrauenklinik Mainz. seufert@mail.uni-mainz.de
Neubert
S
S
Tanner
B
B
Schaffrath
M
M
Pollow
K
K
Kölbl
H
H
D028341:Activins / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D017359:HELLP Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy; D028322:Inhibin-beta Subunits / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007265:Inhibins / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000188:drug therapy; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011249:Pregnancy Complications, Cardiovascular / Q000188:drug therapy
C422405:activin A; C422364:inhibin B; D028341:Activins; D007265:Inhibins; D028322:Inhibin-beta Subunits