Evaluation of adrenomedullin and endothelin-1: are they factors in the adaptation of maternal vascular system in normotensive pregnancy.
BACKGROUND
The aim of our study was to analyse the role of adrenomedullin (AM) and endothelin-1 (ET-1) in the adaptation of the maternal vascular system in normotensive pregnancy.


METHODS
Twenty-eight pregnant women, who were normotensive throughout the duration of their pregnancy, were recruited into the study. Plasma levels of AM and ET-1 at each trimester were measured and the AM/ET-1 ratio was calculated.


RESULTS
Our experiment showed a significant decrease in plasma concentrations of AM in the first trimester for the study group (n=28) compared with the non-pregnant control group (n=16). There was also a significant decrease in plasma concentrations of ET-1 in all three trimesters (P<0.05) and a significant increase in the AM/ET-1 ratio in all three trimesters (P<0.05) for the study group compared with the control group.


CONCLUSIONS
An alteration in vascular equilibrium between AM and ET-1, favouring AM, may be a reason why the physiological adaptation of the maternal vascular system to pregnancy occurs during normotensive pregnancy.
Bayram
Merih
M
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Faculty of Medicine, Gazi University, Bilkent-3 C: 4 No: 7, Bilkent, Ankara, 06800, Turkey. merbay@ttnet.net.tr
Bostanci
Suhha
S
Caglayan
Osman
O
Ilhan
Mustafa N
MN
D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D053607:Adrenomedullin / Q000097:blood*; D000328:Adult; D001794:Blood Pressure; D002320:Cardiovascular Physiological Phenomena; D019332:Endothelin-1 / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000502:physiology*; D011264:Pregnancy Trimesters; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D055815:Young Adult
D019332:Endothelin-1; D053607:Adrenomedullin