Serum cholinesterase activity in different types of hypertension during pregnancy

Serum cholinesterase activities were assessed in pregnant women with different types of hypertension. Two samples of blood were taken (during pregnancy and at puerperium) of 20 normal pregnant women (NP), 16 with mild preeclampsia (MPE), 17 with severe preeclampsia (SPE), six with chronic hypertension plus preeclampsia (CHT+PE) and seven with chronic hypertension (CHT). The enzyme activity declined significantly at puerperium as compared with during pregnancy in the CHT and CHT+PE groups (p<0.05). Nevertheless, during pregnancy the activities recorded in the CHT group were significantly higher as compared to Np (p>0.11) and MPE (p<0.001) and CHT+PE (p<0.05). The consequence of the reduction in cholinesterase activity, at puerperium, in the CHT and CHT+PE patients should be established.