title: Antepartum and postpartum serum heme oxygenase-1 levels in preeclamptic and normotensive pregnant women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine antepartum and postpartum serum heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) levels in pre-eclamptic (PE) and normotensive pregnant women and to investigate the relationship between HO-1 levels and severity of PE.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ten normotensive women were compared to 9 women with mild PE and 12 women with severe PE. Serum HO-1 levels were measured at 30-34 gestational weeks and 12-14 weeks postpartum.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The severe PE group had significantly higher serum HO-1 levels antepartum compared to the mild PE and normotensive groups (5.50 ± 1.54 vs. 3.04 ± 0.72 ng/ml, p=0.0003, and 5.50 ± 1.54 vs. 3.12 ± 1.57 ng/ml, p=0.002, respectively). Serum HO-1 levels decreased significantly postpartum in the normotensive group only (3.12 ± 1.57 vs. 2.00 ± 0.97 ng/ml, p=0.0005). In the severe PE group, HO-1 levels antepartum were positively correlated to mean blood pressure (r=+0.79, p=0.004).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Severe PE is associated with elevated serum HO-1 levels both antepartum and postpartum, suggesting a key role of chronic oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of PE and the endothelial dysfunction of these patients later in their life.
authors.affiliation: Second Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Aretaieion Hospital, 76 Vas. Sofias Avenue, GR-11528, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Nikolaos
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Vitoratos
authors.forename: Katerina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Papakonstantinou
authors.forename: Aikaterini
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Deliveliotou
authors.forename: Emmanuel
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Economou
authors.forename: Constantinos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Panoulis
authors.forename: Dimitrios
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hassiakos
authors.forename: George K
authors.initials: GK
authors.lastname: Creatsas
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D051547:Heme Oxygenase-1 / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D049590:Postpartum Period / Q000097:blood*; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000097:blood* / Q000201:enzymology*; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D051547:Heme Oxygenase-1