Plasma noradrenaline and adrenaline in pre-eclampsia, essential hypertension in pregnancy and normotensive pregnant control subjects

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Abstract
Noradrenaline [norepinephine] and adrenaline [epinephrine] in plasma were determined in 15 patients with preeclampsia, 10 pregnant patients with essential hypertension, 2 patients with transient hypertension in pregnancy, 11 normotensive pregnant control subjects, and 16 nonpregnant normotensive control subjects. Measurements were performed in the 2nd and 3rd trimester, 5 days, and 3 mo. after delivery. Comparison within groups showed no significant differences in plasma noradrenaline or adrenaline between levels in pregnancy, 5 days after delivery, and 3 mo. after delivery in neither preeclampsia, essential hypertension nor normotensive pregnant control subjects. Comparison between groups showed no significant differences between the levels in preeclampsia, essential hypertension and normotensive pregnant control subjects neither in pregnancy nor after delivery. Plasma noradrenaline and adrenaline in pregnancy were the same as in normotensive nonpregnant control subjects. Plasma noradrenaline and blood pressure were not correlated in any of the groups. Evidently the sympathetic adrenergic activity evaluated by plasma catecholamines is normal in patients with preeclampsia and pregnant patients with essential hypertension.