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Biomedical subjects

S Kovatz

Publications and source records attributed to S Kovatz.

8 recordsLinked to original sources

Urinary kallikrein in normal pregnancy, pregnancy with hypertension, and toxemia.

The 24-hour urinary excretion of kallikrein (K) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), which reflects their intrarenal synthesis, was measured in 7 normal women (NW), 10 women with essential hypertension (EH), 26 normal pregnant women (NP), 12 women with hypertension in pregnancy (HP), and 4 women with toxemia. All pregnant women were in the last trimester of their pregnancy (week 24-40). K was raised in NP (99.6 +/- 8.1 KU/24 h) and HP (106.5 +/- 8 KU/24 h) compared to NW (57 +/- 8.23 KU/24 h) (p less than 0.05). PGE2 excretion was decreased in EH (403.25 +/- 90.6 ng/24 h) compared to NW (508.6 +/- 80.26 ng/24 h). During pregnancy PGE2 was increased to 1,088 +/- 93.2 ng/24 h in NP and significantly more in HP, 1,885 +/- 40 ng/24 h (p less than 0.002). In this regard it differed from K. These data may suggest that, in addition to K, other factors (as angiotensin II and/or antidiuretic hormone) possibly activate renal PGE2 production in HP. In toxemia, K (23 +/- 6.1 KU/24 h) and PGE2 (583 +/- 172.83 ng/24 h) were markedly decreased. The above results suggest that the renal kallikrein-kinin and prostaglandin systems may play a role in sodium homeostasis during pregnancy. Their exact influence on the pathogenesis of hypertension in nonpregnant, pregnant, and toxemic subjects awaits further investigation.

Adolescent

Increased renal prostaglandins in normal pregnancy and in pregnancy with hypertension.

The 24-hour urinary excretion of prostaglandins (PGs) E2 and F2 alpha (which reflects the renal synthesis of these substances) was measured by radioimmunoassay in normal nonpregnant women (NW, n = 23), nonpregnant women suffering from essential hypertension (HW, n = 23), normal pregnant women (NP, n = 24) and women with hypertension in pregnancy (HP, n = 14). All pregnant women were in the third trimester of their pregnancy (week 24-40). The excretion of both PGE2 and PGF2 alpha was increased in NP as compared to NW. PGF2 alpha was relatively more elevated, leading to a decreased PGE2/PGF2 alpha ratio. In HP, PGE2 and PGF2 alpha excretions were even greater, and the PGE2/PGF2 alpha ratio was even lower than in NP. This contrasted with the lowered PGE2 excretion in HW. The increased renal PGs synthesis in normal pregnancy could be related to the effects on the kidney of several hormonal changes peculiar to pregnancy. In addition, the lowered PGE2/PGF2 alpha ratio suggests the possibility of an increased activity of the PGE2-9-ketoreductase, which could be related to the changes in renal sodium handling observed in pregnancy. The pattern of PGE2 excretion in HP is opposite to that observed in HW (i.e. increase rather than decrease). However, both groups share the lowered PGE2/PGF2 alpha ratio with respect to the normotensive counterparts. The causes of altered PG synthesis in pregnant women with hypertension are presently unclear.

Adult

Aerobic work capacity in high school students in Israel.

Maximal oxygen uptake (Vo2max) was predicted in 1,951 high school students aged 14 to 19 years--1,061 girls and 890 boys--from five different types of high school. The schools represented most of the ethnic groups. The mean Vo2max in the boys was 41.3 +/- 9.4 (SD), and in the girls, 34.7 +/- 10.1 ml - kg-1 - min-1; it was highest at the age of 16 in the boys, and at ages 14 and 15 in the girls. Significant ethnic differences in Vo2max were recorded; Vo2max was highest in students of Middle Eastern and North African origin [boys 42.7 +/- 9.3 (SD), girls 35.9 +/- 14.5], and lowest in the subjects of European and North American origin (boys 39.8 +/- 9.2, girls 33.2 +/- 9.3). Israel-born students showed average values (boys 40.7 +/- 9.6, girls 35.2 +/- 10.9). Significant differences in mean Vo2max values were observed in the general and agricultural high schools, and the lowest values in boys were oberved in the heshiva (parochial) high school, and in girls in the state religous high school. The differences in Vo2max in the various subpopulations in Israel can be attributed mainly to different patterns of physical activity and in part to ethnic origin.

Adolescent