[Plasma endothelin level in patients with pregnancy induced hypertension and its correlation with atrial natriuretic...

Plasma levels of endothelin (ET) and atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) were measured in 32 normal pregnant women and 26 patients with pregnancy induced hypertension (PIH). The correlation between ET and ANP were examined. This study indicated that the levels of ET and ANP in hypertensive pregnancy were higher than those of the normal pregnancy (P < 0.01). There was no correlation between ET and ANP in normal pregnancy (r = 0.18, P > 0.05), but significant inverse correlation in the patient with PIH (r = -0.57, P < 0.05). There findings suggested that ET may play an important role in the pathogenesis of PIH. An imbalance of increased amount of ET relative to deficient ANP may lead to PIH.