Neurokinin B and urotensin II levels in pre-eclampsia.

OBJECTIVE To verify neurokinin B (NKB) and urotensin II (UII) plasma levels in pre-eclampsia (PE) and to determine the relationship between plasma NKB and UII levels. METHOD A total of 60 women in the third trimester of pregnancy were recruited, 40 women with PE (study patients) and 20 age- and BMI-matched normotensive women (healthy controls). They were divided into three groups: the 20 normotensive pregnant women (Group 1); 20 women with mild PE (Group 2); 20 women with severe PE (Group 3). The plasma levels of NKB and UII were measured simultaneously by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS Compared with controls, levels of NKB were significantly higher in women with mild or severe PE (p < 0.01 for both groups), levels of UII were significantly higher in women with mild or severe PE (p < 0.01 for both groups). Moreover, there was a positive correlation between plasma levels of NKB and UII in pre-eclamptic women (r = 0.783, p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that there was an elevation of NKB and UII in the plasma of pre-eclamptic women. NKB and UII may be involved in the pathophysiology of PE and associated with the development of severe disease.