[Urinary PGE2 levels in toxemia of pregnancy]

Urinary PGE2 levels in urine collected over 24 hours were measured by radioimmunoassay after chloroform extraction. In normal pregnancy, urinary PGE2 levels did not change during pregnancy. After 36 gestational weeks, urinary PGE2 levels in severe hypertensive pregnancy (616 +/- 91 ng/day (mean +/- S.E., n = 18)) were significantly decreased compared to those of normal pregnancy (1,039 +/- 85 ng/day, n = 13, p less than 0.005) and mild hypertensive pregnancy (1,025 +/- 140 ng/day, n = 8, p less than 0.03). We then analyzed the urinary PGE2 levels by noting clinical symptoms and their severity. Urinary PGE2 levels in the severe blood pressure group were significantly decreased compared to those of the mild group. There was a significant negative correlation between urinary PGE2 and mean blood pressure, systolic pressure and diastolic pressure. Diastolic pressure in particular had the most significant negative correlation with the urinary PGE2 level (n = 33, r = -0.593, p less than 0.001). Urinary PGE2 levels in the severe proteinuria and edema groups were significantly decreased compared to those in the mild group. These results suggested that renal synthesis of PGE2 may be decreased in severe hypertensive pregnancy and closely related to blood pressure, especially to diastolic pressure, and also related to the occurrence of edema.