Changes and Clinical Significance of Plasma Von WiUebrand Factor and Von Willebrand Factor-Cleaving Protease in Pregnancy Induced Hypertension

Objective To evaluate the clinical significance of plasma yon Wiilebrand factor(vWF) and von Wiilebrand factor-cleaving protease(vWF-CP) activity in pregnancy induced hypertension(PIH).Methods vWF antigen(vWF:Ag) and vWF-CP activity were respectively evaluated by using ELISA and residual-collagen binding assay (R-CBA) in 52 patients with PIH and 35 normal pregnant women respectively.Results The level of the vWF: Ag in normal pregnancy women(103.4±68.4)% was significantly higher than that in no pregnancy women(78.4±51.6)%(P＜0.01),while the level of plasma vWF-CP activity in normal pregnancy(76.3±18.4)% was signifi- cantly lower than that in the controls(84.7±2.1)%(P＜0.05).ln mild PIH patients the levels of vWF:Ag and vWF- CP activity having no changes compared with those in normal pregnant women,but in moderate or in severe PIH group the level of vWF:Ag significantly increased compared with the normal pregnant women,while the level of vWF-CP activity in moderate or in severe PIH patients were significantly lower than those in normal pregnant women.Conclusions The injury of endothelial cells was the factor that resulted in lower vWF-CP activity in PIH patients and this lowered activity may influence the progress of PIH.