[Hypocalciuria in women with preeclampsia]

To assess the significance of hypocalciuria in pregnant women, 24-hour urinary calcium excretion and the calcium/creatinine ratio (mg/g) in random urine samples were measured with a Toshiba TDA-30R autoanalyzer in the following 4 groups: 3 mild preeclamptic patients, 5 severe preeclamptic patients, 4 patients with intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR), and 10 healthy pregnant women. The mean 24-hour urinary calcium excretion in the 4 groups was 44.3 +/- 21.3 mg/day, 11.6 +/- 2.7 mg/day, 161.4 +/- 80.4 mg/day and 145.0 +/- 45.0 mg/day, respectively. Calcium excretion was significantly lower in the mild and severe preeclamptic patients than in the women with IUGR and the normal pregnant women. There was also a significant difference between the value in the mild and severe preeclamptic patients. The mean calcium/creatinine ratio in random urine samples was 53 +/- 30 mg/g, 18 +/- 5.6 mg/g, 192 +/- 85 mg/g and 169 +/- 70 mg/g, respectively. Also, such significant as 24-hour urinary calcium excretion were found in the mean calcium/creatinine ratio. From these results we conclude that determination of the 24-hour urinary calcium excretion or the calcium/creatinine ratio in random urine samples is a reliable index of preeclampsia.