The authors measured the plasma levels of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), the most potent vasodilatator known, during sequential ultrafiltration and haemodialysis in 12 patients using a radio-immunoassay method. Mean plasma levels of CGRP were 70.3 +/- 16.5 (mean +/- SE) pmol l-1 at the start of treatment, it increased to 85.3 +/- 17.6 pmol l-1 during ultrafiltration and to 114.5 +/- 25.3 pmol l-1 during dialysis. Systolic blood pressure decreased during haemodialysis. Plasma levels of CGRP were negatively correlated to systolic blood pressure before and at the end of dialysis, and changes in plasma levels of CGRP were strongly correlated to changes in systolic blood pressure. The increase in CGRP levels was not correlated to the fluid removal, toxin removal or changes in osmolality. The increase in plasma levels of CGRP observed during dialysis may be an important cause of dialysis induced vasodilatation and fall in blood pressure.

In the pregnant uterus unique immunological conditions must prevail. Since compounds of possible fetoplacental origin may modulate the local maternal immunological response, higher concentrations of such compounds in the vicinity of the conceptus might be expected. We have measured the concentrations of several compounds in peripheral and retroplacental plasma, mainly by immunological methods, from women delivered by caesarean section in pregnancy week 38-40. Significantly higher (P less than 0.001) retroplacental concentrations were found for human placental lactogen, prolactin, alpha-fetoprotein, tissue polypeptide antigen, non-conjugated estriol and progesterone. Peripheral plasma levels were significantly higher for cortisol (P less than 0.01), transcortin (P less than 0.001) and sex-hormone binding globulin (P less than 0.002). No difference was found for albumin, alpha 2-macroglobulin, estradiol, placental alkaline phosphatase and human chorionic gonadotrophin. Significant correlations between retroplacental and maternal peripheral plasma levels were found for progesterone, cortisol, estradiol, estriol, transcortin, sex-hormone binding globulin, prolactin, human placental lactogen, human chorionic gonadotrophin, placental alkaline phosphatase, albumin and alpha 2-macroglobulin. There were also significant correlations between estradiol and sex-hormone binding globulin as well as transcortin in peripheral maternal plasma.

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