Increased plasma levels of Urotensin-II in preeclampsia-eclampsia: a new mediator in pathogenesis?
OBJECTIVE
To assess the possible role of human Urotensin-II (hU-II), a vasoactive peptide, in the pathophysiology of preeclampsia-eclampsia prospectively.


METHODS
Sixty subjects, 30 with a diagnosis of preeclampsia-eclampsia (group I) and 30 control subjects (group II), who had been admitted between January, 2002 and December, 2002, were taken into the study. Patients in group I had an increase in blood pressure after 28th week of gestation, without any history of hypertensive disease and/or preeclampsia or eclampsia. hU-II levels were assessed using a radioimmunoassay method.


RESULTS
No statistically significant difference in terms of age, gestational age, gravidity, abortion and parity was detected among groups (P > 0.05). Plasma hU-II levels in the preeclampsia-eclampsia and control groups were 10.11 +/- 5.94 pg/mL and 3.93 +/- 1.73 pg/mL, respectively. Difference between plasma hU-II levels of the two groups was found to be statistically significant (P < 0.00001). Also there was correlation between hU-II levels and mean arterial pressures in both groups (r = 0.73, P < 0.0001 and r = 0.72, P < 0.0001 for groups I and II, respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
Results of our study strongly suggest an important role for hU-II in the pathophysiology of preeclampsia-eclampsia. Further studies concerning placenta and cord blood samples will more clearly elucidate the role of Urotensin-II in the pathogenesis of preeclampsia-eclampsia, and its feto-maternal effects.
Balat
Ozcan
O
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Gaziantep University, P.T.T Subesi, P.K: 34, 27310 Gaziantep, Turkey. ozcanbalat@hotmail.com
Aksoy
Fuat
F
Kutlar
Irfan
I
Ugur
Mete Gurol
MG
Iyikosker
Hakan
H
Balat
Ayse
A
Anarat
Rüksen
R
D000328:Adult; D001794:Blood Pressure; D004461:Eclampsia / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000652:urine; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D010298:Parity; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000652:urine; D011247:Pregnancy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011507:Proteinuria / Q000652:urine; D014579:Urotensins / Q000097:blood* / Q000502:physiology
D014579:Urotensins; C029677:urotensin II