Changes of serum angiotensin peptides, pro-endothelin-1 levels in women one year after preeclampsia and their association with cardiovascular risk factors
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.2478/AMB-2023-0038Keywords:
angiotensin-II, angiotensin-(1-7), pro-endothelin-1, history of preeclampsia, cardiovascular risk factorsAbstract
Introduction: Women who suff ered preeclampsia (PE) have two to four times higher risk for development of cardiovascular disease (CVD) compared with women with a history of normotensive pregnancy. Microvascular and endothelial dysfunction, mediated by diff erent vasoactive factors have been suggested as attainable pathophysiological pathways. The study aimed to: (1) determine changes in circulating levels of key vasoactive peptides in sera of women with history of PE and in women who had a normal pregnancy 1 year after delivery and (2) investigate whether an association exists between these molecules and cardiovascular risk factors.
Materials and methods: The current research examined 32 women one year after preeclampsia (mean age 25.3 ± 6.3 years) and control group of 20 women one year after normal pregnancy (mean age 25.6 ± 5.6 years). The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to determine serum levels of angiotensin II (AngII), angiotensin-(1-7) [Ang-(1-7)] and pro-endothelin-1 (Pro-ET-1). Results: We found that at 1 year after delivery 38.46% of women who suff ered PE have developed hypertension and 5.77% have developed diabetes mellitus. Women who had normal pregnancy developed neither hypertension, nor diabetes mellitus 1 year after delivery. Serum AngII levels in women one year after PE were statistically signifi cantly lower than in women one year after normotensive pregnancy 0.9 (0.55÷1.7) vs. 2.3 pg/ml (2.0 ÷ 2.9) (KW = 20.849; p = 0.0001). Ang-(1-7) concentrations in women one year after PE were lower than in women one year after normal pregnancy, but not signifi cantly 1.7 (0.3÷4.5) vs. 3.2 ng/ml (0.2÷8.0) (p > 0.05).
Levels of serum Pro-ET-1 in women one year after PE were statistically signifi cantly higher than in women one year after normal pregnancy 322.65 (261.75÷391.85) vs. 248.7 pmol/L (231.05÷282.15) (KW = 6.639; p = 0.009). AngII showed correlation with AH grade (r = -0.33; 0.02), Ang-(1-7) (r = 0.27; 0.05), DBP (r = -0.28; p = 0.04), mean arterial pressure (r = -0.43; p = 0.002), pulse pressure (r = -0.28; p = 0.04), BMI (r = -0.30; p = 0.03), TC (r = -0.31; p = 0.03) and LDL (r = -0.30; p = 0.03). Pro-ET-1 correlated with age (r = 0.30; p = 0.03), mean arterial pressure (r = -0.25; p = 0.05) and pulse pressure (r = 0.41; p = 0.003).
Conclusion: Our data showed an association between key vasoactive peptides and major CVD risk factors in women one year after PE. We suggest that imbalance between AngII, Ang-(1-7) and Pro-ET-1 could have a potential imply on the vascular wall after PE, refl ecting persistent microvascular and endothelial injury/dysfunction postpartum. Further studies are warranted to clarify these vasoactive peptides’ role in the ongoing vascular endothelial function after delivery and the pathogenic mechanisms determining development of CVD in previously PE women.
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