title: Plasma nitric oxide, endothelin-1, arginase and superoxide dismutase in pre-eclamptic women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to determine several parameters of nitric oxide metabolism in pre-eclamptic patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a nested case-control study at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, São José Hospital, Brazil. Thirty-five pre-eclamptic and 35 normotensive pregnant women were included in the study. Pre-eclampsia was diagnosed as an increase in diastolic blood pressure (BP) of 15 mm Hg and systolic BP of 30 mm Hg at two measurements at least 4 h apart, compared with BP obtained before 20 weeks of gestation, and proteinuria > 0.3 g/24 h in the absence of urinary tract infection. Fasting peripheral venous blood samples were obtained during the antepartum period in pre-eclamptic and control (matched for maternal age and gestational age) patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Plasma nitrite was significantly lower and plasma endothelin levels were significantly higher in pre-eclamptic women than in normotensive pregnant women. Superoxide dismutase activity was decreased and arginase activity was significantly increased in pre-eclamptic patients when compared to normotensive pregnant women.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We suggested that in pre-eclampsia excessive arginase and low superoxide dismutase activity leads to a decrease nitric oxide levels and oxidative stress, and this may promote microvascular oxidative damage and endothelial dysfunction.
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Fisiopatologia Experimental, Universidade do Extremo Sul Catarinense, Criciúma, Brazil.
authors.forename: Fabiana
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bernardi
authors.forename: Larissa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Constantino
authors.forename: Roberta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Machado
authors.forename: Fabricia
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Petronilho
authors.forename: Felipe
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Dal-Pizzol
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001119:Arginase / Q000097:blood*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D019332:Endothelin-1 / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000097:blood*; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000097:blood*; D011247:Pregnancy; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000097:blood*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D019332:Endothelin-1; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D001119:Arginase