Increased plasma levels of Urotensin-II in preeclampsia–eclampsia: a new mediator in pathogenesis?

Abstract Objective: To assess the possible role of human Urotensin-II (hU-II), a vasoactive peptide, in the pathophysiology of preeclampsia–eclampsia prospectively. Study design: Sixty subjects, 30 with a diagnosis of preeclampsia–eclampsia (group I) and 30 control subjects (group II), who had been admitted between January, 2002 and December, 2002, were taken into the study. Patients in group I had an increase in blood pressure after 28th week of gestation, without any history of hypertensive disease and/or preeclampsia or eclampsia. hU-II levels were assessed using a radioimmunoassay method. Results: No statistically significant difference in terms of age, gestational age, gravidity, abortion and parity was detected among groups ( P > 0.05). Plasma hU-II levels in the preeclampsia–eclampsia and control groups were 10.11 ± 5.94 pg/mL and 3.93 ± 1.73 pg/mL, respectively. Difference between plasma hU-II levels of the two groups was found to be statistically significant ( P r = 0.73, P r = 0.72, P Conclusion: Results of our study strongly suggest an important role for hU-II in the pathophysiology of preeclampsia–eclampsia. Further studies concerning placenta and cord blood samples will more clearly elucidate the role of Urotensin-II in the pathogenesis of preeclampsia–eclampsia, and its feto-maternal effects.