Pregnancy-induced hypertension (GH) complicates 6–10% of all pregnancies and, in 2019, was responsible for approximately 28,000 deaths. The most common cause of gestational hypertension is pre-eclampsia (PE), which afflicts 2–8% of all pregnancies and is one of the three leading causes of maternal morbidity and mortality worldwide. The aim of this study was to clarify how NO metabolism changes during the course of PE. Due to the short half-life of NO, we measured the concentrations of its stable metabolites, nitrite and nitrate (NOx). Out of 100 enrolled patients: 58 pregnant women with a diagnosed early form of PE formed a study group, and 42 healthy pregnant women formed a control group. NOx concentrations were significantly lower in the PE group than in the control group, with mean values of 5.33 and 27.64 μmol/L, respectively (p < 0.0001). The decrease in NO is most likely the result and mediator of systemic endothelial dysfunction. The impairment of NO metabolism in PE appears to play an important role in its pathogenesis. Therefore, it is a potential therapeutic target.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.