Significance of urinary enzymes in gestosis

The levels of five enzymes were examined in the urine and the serum of pregnant women. They included leucine aminopeptidase (LAP), alkaline phosphatase (AP), N-acetyl-beta-glucosaminidase (ABG), lactic acid dehydrogenase (LDH) and glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT). After establishing the normal curve and upper confidence limits in healthy pregnant patients (138 examinations in 52 women), the the enzymes were examined in the urine and the serum of 21 severe and 23 mildly toxemic cases. The mean urinary levels of ABG, AP and LAP in the severe cases were significantly higher than in the normals, and by examining all three enzymes, at least one of them was found to be above the upper confidence limit in 95% of the severely ill women. The changes did not show up early enough to form a good diagnostic and prognostic sign in moderate pregnancy-induced hypertension, but severe kidney damage may be revealed earlier than by the regular kidney function tests, and patients with a bad remote prognosis can be singled out by this method.