title: Suppression of aldosterone and progesterone in preeclampsia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Preeclampsia (preE) is a hypertensive disorder seen in 3-10% of human pregnancies and is diagnosed by de novo onset of hypertension and proteinuria. Several research groups provided evidence for reduced aldosterone (Aldo) and progesterone (Prog) availability in preE. The aim of this study was to determine the levels of Aldo and Prog in preE.
  
  
  METHODS
  Normal pregnant (NP; n = 39) and preE (n = 30) patients were recruited to have their blood drawn between 21 and 40 weeks of pregnancy. Two groups of rats were used in this study: NP rats (n = 10) and preE rats (n = 10), which were given weekly injections of desoxycorticosterone acetate and 0.9% saline to drink. Aldo and Prog levels were assayed in plasma and urine samples by ELISA kits.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In preE patients, the mean Aldo and Prog levels were suppressed (p < 0.05) compared to NP patients. NP patients exhibited a trend of increased levels of Aldo with an increase in gestational age; however, preE patients had the opposite trend. Both normal and preE patients exhibited a trend of increased levels of Prog with an increase in gestational age. The plasma and urinary Aldo and Prog levels were lower (p < 0.05) in preE rats compared to NP rats.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We have demonstrated using a rat model and patients that both Aldo and Prog are suppressed in preE and thus may be used as biomarkers for preE.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology.|b Department of Pediatrics.
authors.forename: Mohammad N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Uddin
authors.affiliation: a Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
authors.forename: Darijana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Horvat
authors.affiliation: a Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
authors.forename: Richard O
authors.initials: RO
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.affiliation: b Department of Pediatrics.
authors.forename: Madhava R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Beeram
authors.affiliation: c Department of Medical Physiology and.
authors.forename: David C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Zawieja
authors.affiliation: d Division of Pediatric Surgery , Baylor Scott & White Health and Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine , Temple , TX , USA , and.
authors.forename: Lena
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Perger
authors.affiliation: e Texas Bioscience Institute , Temple , TX , USA.
authors.forename: David C C
authors.initials: DCC
authors.lastname: Sprague
authors.affiliation: a Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology.|b Department of Pediatrics.
authors.forename: Thomas J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Kuehl
keywords: Aldosterone; preeclampsia; pregnancy; progesterone