Changes of Interleukin-18 and Endothelin-1 in the Patients of Pregnancy Induced Hypertension Syndrome

Objective To study the change of interleakin-18 (IL-18) in patients of pregnancy induced hypertension syndrome(PIH) and its correlation with endothelint-1 (ET-1). Methods Serum levels of IL-18 and plasma levels of ET-1 in 47 PIH patients and 30 normal pregnancy women were measured with ELISA and RSA respectively. Results (1)Serum IL-18 of PIH group (M=43.76 ng/L) was significantly higher than that of normal pregnancy group (M=37.975 ng/L) , H=42.845,P0.05. plasma level of ET-1 in PIH group (61±23) ng/L was significantly higher than that in normal pregnantcy group (35±11)ng/L,F=24.580,P0.05. The higher the mean blood pressure, the higher those levels were. (2)Serum level of IL-18 has positive relationship with plasma ET-1 level in PIH group. (r=0.6773,P0.01). Conclusions IL-18 may take part in the process of immunopathologic injury of PIH, its change positively correlates with ET-1. It's estimated that the change of IL-18 may injure the vascular endothelium, which promotes the release of ET-1, so the occurrence of PIH is induced.