[Urinary kallikrein quantity and activity in normal pregnant women in the third trimester]

In this study, urinary kallikrein quantity and activity were measured by the kallikrein direct RIA and kininogenase activity with human low molecular weight kininogen in 32 non pregnant healthy women and 20 normal 3rd trimester pregnant women. There was no significant difference in urinary kallikrein quantity between non pregnant healthy women (n=32, 64.0 +/- 6.3 micrograms/day, mean +/- S.E.) and normal pregnant women (n=20, 68.1 +/- 10.1 micrograms/day). There was a significant difference (p less than 0.05) in urinary kallikrein activity between non pregnant healthy women (n=32, 496.2 +/- 57.2 micrograms kinin/day) and normal pregnant women (n=20, 319.5 +/- 48.1 micrograms kinin/day). The reason for no significant difference in the urinary kallikrein quantity may be that neither non pregnant women nor normal pregnant women have renal damage. And, one of the reasons for significant low urinary kallikrein activity in normal pregnant women may be that the sensitivity of blood vessels to angiotensin II in normal pregnancy is less than in non pregnancy.