Plasma androstenedione in normotensive and hypertensive pregnancy

The average plasma concentration of androstenedione (A) in 67 hypertensive pregnant women (mean 25.7 nmol/L, SD 10.0) was significantly higher (p less than 0.001) than that in 71 normotensive pregnant women (mean 14.2 nmol/L, SD 5.6). Androstenedione concentration decreased significantly (p less than 0.01) from this higher level with increasing gestation in pregnancies complicated by hypertension. In the normotensive group there was no significant correlation between androstenedione concentration and gestation, but a sharp increase in androstenedione concentration occurred prior to delivery. The androstenedione concentration in 18 hypertensive patients with fulminating disease (mean 30.7 nmol/L, SD 11.9) was significantly higher (p less than 0.02) than that in 49 hypertensive patients (mean 23.9 nmol/L, SD 8.7). The correlation between androstenedione and 19-hydroxyandrostenedione (19-OH-A) concentrations in plasma was highly significant; for 98 pairs, r = 0.43, p less than 0.001.