Effective prediction of preeclampsia by measuring serum angiotensin II, urinary angiotensinogen and urinary transforming growth factor beta 1

摘要

The aim of the current study was to analyze serum angiotensin II (Ang II), urinary angiotensinogen (AGT) and urinary transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF beta 1) levels in relation to the clinical manifestation of preeclampsia, and to explore the effects of circulating and renal renin angiotensin system (RAS) in preeclampsia patients. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to evaluate serum Ang II, urinary AGT and urinary TGF beta 1 in preeclampsia, pregnancy-induced hypertension and normotensive pregnancy patients. The correlation between urinary AGT and serum Ang II, urinary TGF beta 1, blood pressure and urinary albumin/creatinine ratio (ACR) were then analyzed. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were also constructed. Negative correlations were observed between urinary AGT and blood pressure, and urinary AGT and ACR, whereas positive correlations were found between urinary AGT and serum Ang II, and urinary AFT and TGF beta 1. Moreover, the area under the curve (AUC) of AGT was 0.841 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.742-0.940, P<0.001], which was significantly higher than that of serum Ang II or urinary TGF beta 1 (P<0.001). The optimal cut-off value of urinary AGT at 193 ng/1 showed a high diagnostic value in preeclampsia. The AUC of combined serum Ang II, urinary AGT and urinary TGF beta 1 was 0.918 (95% CI: 0.845-0.990, P<0.001), with a sensitivity of 83.9% and a specificity of 89.7%. Decreased levels of urinary AGT in preeclampsia patients suggested that local renal RAS was suppressed, and this was associated with hypertension and proteinuria. A high value preeclampsia diagnosis could be achieved by measuring urinary AGT or a combination of urinary AGT, serum Ang II and urinary TGF beta 1.