[Activity of serum angiotensin converting enzyme in pregnancy-induced hypertension]

Activity of serum angiotensin converting enzyme (SACE) was measured in serum of 33 pregnant women with normal blood pressure or pregnancy induced hypertension (PIH), using sensitive Hippurate colorimetric micromethod. The mean level of SACE activity in 17 PIH patients (73.25 +/- 18.81 U/ml) was significantly higher than that in normotensive pregnant women (16 cases) ( 52.36 +/- 9.91 U/ml) (P less than 0.01). The mean arterial blood pressure showed a positive correlation with the level of SACE activity in all pregnant women (Y = 69.089 + 0.494x, r = 0.562, P less than 0.01). In PIH patients, the gestosis index and degree of edema also had statistically significant correlation with the level of SACE activity (Y = -0.560 + 0.056x, r = 0.549, P less than 0.01) (Y = -1.760 + 0.043x, r = 0.629, P less than 0.05). The amount of 24h urinary protein was independent of the level of SACE activity. It suggests that disturbance in regulation of ACE activity may be one of the factors responsible for the development of PIH.