Relationship between changes of plasma endothelin (ET) level, ATPase activity of erythrocyte membrane and development of nephropathy in patients with pregnancy induced hypertension

Objective: To investigate the possible role played by alteration of plasma ET levels and activities of Na+- K+-APT ase and Ca2+-Mg2+-ATPase of erythrocyte membrane in patients with nephropathy pregnancy induced hypertension. Methods: The concentrations of plasma ET was detected with RIA and erythrocyte membrane ATPase activities were determined with Reilni method in 32 pregnant women with PIH complicated with nephropathy and 70 women with PIH but no nephropathy and 35 normal pregnant women as controls. Results: The plasma ET levels in patients with PHI (both with and without nephropathy) were significantly higher than those in normal preganat women (P<0.01), while the Na+-K+-ATPase and Ca2+-Mg2+-ATPase levels were significantly de- creased (P<0.01). Amone the PIH patients, differences between the levels in the 2 subgroups (with and without nephropathy were also significantly, P<0.05). Conclusion: The development of pregnancy induced hypertensive nephropathy is correlated to the higher plasma ET levels and decreased Na+-K+-ATPase and Ca2+-Mg2+-ATPase activity of erythrocyte membrane. (authors)