Objective: To investigate the relationship between the hemostatic coagulation markers of prethrombosis state and pregnancy induced hypertension (PIH).
Methods: Forty-five PIH patients and 20 control patients were studied. P-selectin, prothrombin fragments 1 + 2 (F1+2), D-dimers (D-D) and plasmin-antiplasmin complex (PAP) were measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. Antithrombin activity (AT: A) was measured by chromogenic peptide substrate assay.
Results: (1) The P-selectin level of pre-delivery in moderate and severe PIH patients was (66 +/- 24) microg/L and (80 +/- 30) microg/L, it was (49 +/- 15) microg/L in the control group (both P < 0.05). The P-selectin level of post partum in severe PIH group and control group was (65 +/- 34) microg/L and (40 +/- 12) microg/L, with significant difference between them (P < 0.05). (2) The F1+2 level of pre-delivery in mild, moderate and severe PIH groups was respectively (2.2 +/- 0.2), (2.3 +/- 0.4) and (2.2 +/- 0.2) nmol/L, being all significantly higher than that in the control group, which was (1.2 +/- 0.3) nmol/L, but there was no obvious difference between three PIH groups. (3) The D-D level in mild, moderate and severe PIH groups was respectively (0.7 +/- 0.1), (0.7 +/- 0.3) and (0.8 +/- 0.2) mg/L, and it was (0.4 +/- 0.1) mg/L in the control group. The D-D level was increased when PIH became severe. (4) The PAP level in moderate and severe PIH groups was (0.8 +/- 0.4) mg/L and (0.8 +/- 0.4) mg/L, being significantly higher than that in control group (0.7 +/- 0.3) mg/L (both P < 0.05). (5) The AT: Aactivity was obviously decreased in PIH groups, being respectively (44 +/- 37)%, (64 +/- 25)% and (83 +/- 39)% in severe, moderate and mild PIH groups. There was obvious difference between severe and mild groups (P < 0.01).
Conclusions: Elevated P-selectin levels and increased platelet activity were observed in PIH patients. F1+2 may be useful as a screening test for risk pregnancy. D-D can be used as an early monitor of DIC. AT: A reflects the severity of illness. These molecular markers may be used to predict the prethrombosis state in PIH.