[Levels of endothelin and beta-human chorionic gonadotropin and their relationship in patients with pregnancy induced hypertention].
OBJECTIVE: To measure levels of endothelin (ET) and beta-human chorionic gonodotropin (beta-hCG) and analyse the correlation between them in patients with pregnancy induced hypertension (PIH), as well as to investigate their role in the pathogenesis of PIH. METHODS: 32 patients with PIH were matched with 17 normal term singleton pregnant women. ET and beta-hCG levels of above patients and 14 nonpregnant health reproductive age women were determined by radioimmunoassay. RESULTS: ET and beta-hCG levels were significantly higher in patients with PIH (30.35 +/- 14.52 ng/L and 7.35 +/- 4.86 nmol/L) than that of two control groups (P < 0.05), especially in middle and severe PIH (P < 0.05), but no significant different in mild PIH (P > 0.05), compared with normal pregnant group (20.79 +/- 7.08 ng/L and 4.13 +/- 1.91 nmol/L) and nonpregnant group (19.78 +/- 6.66 ng/L and 0 nmol/L). There was no significant difference of plasma ET levels between normal pregnant and nonpregnant women (P > 0.05). beta-hCG in nonpregnant woman hadn't been determined. We did not find any association between the levels of ET and beta-hCG in normal pregnancy (r = +0.2216, P > 0.05), but significant positive correlation in the patients with PIH (r = +0.5418, P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: The increased levels of ET and beta-hCG, as well as their positive correlation, suggested that the dysfunction of the placental cells may be associated with the endothelial cell damage in PIH patients.