Angiotensin-converting enzyme: Serum levels during normal pregnancy

Renin, Aldosterone, and Serum-Converting Enzyme Activity during Normal and Hypertensive Pregnancy

“…5). The small number of patients in this group allows no final conclusion; however, other authors reported on low levels of both PRA and PA in hypertensive pregnancy [5,21], Serum CEA was unchanged during the different periods of pregnancy, a finding sim ilar to that observed by Parente et al [16], However, when mean CEA values were com pared to a control group of nonpregnant fe males of the same age, CEA values in preg nancy were significantly lower, whereas the group of Parente found similar values for both pregnant and nonpregnant women. This difference in results is possibly due to the fact that we used our own controls, whereas Parentee1 al.…”

“…This difference in results is possibly due to the fact that we used our own controls, whereas Parentee1 al. [16] took controls from another study. The unchanged low CEA values com pared to the simultaneously found elevated values of PRA and PA ( fig.…”

Changes in Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme during Pregnancy in the Guinea Pig

“…Serum ACE activity was reported [4] not to differ between pregnant and nonpregnant rats, but activity in the pregnant rat was higher than in the nonpregnant one and might have been significantly different with a larger number of observations. In women serum ACE activity is decreased during pregnancy [5,6] and has been reported both to increase at the end of pregnancy [5,7] and not to change [3]. A rise in serum ACE levels has been reported in women with pregnancy-induced hyper tension [6].…”

“…Although angiotensin II concentrations during pregnancy have been extensively measured [3], ACE activity seems to have been less stud ied. Serum ACE activity was reported [4] not to differ between pregnant and nonpregnant rats, but activity in the pregnant rat was higher than in the nonpregnant one and might have been significantly different with a larger number of observations.…”

“…Two studies [5,7] reported that ACE activity increased in pregnant women after week 30, a time at which progesterone also in creases [11]. Another report found no relation between ACE activity and stage of pregnancy, however [3]. Plasma angiotensin II concentration increases in men given progesterone [ 12], Dexamethasone induces ACE in cultured bovine endothelial cells [13], but changes in plasma glucocorticoids in the pregnant guinea pig do not occur in a pattern similar to that of ACE activity [14].…”