does toxicity of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibition pertain to pregnant humans?
STUDY DESIGN: A prospective, placebo-controlled study was performed to investigate the effect of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibition on pregnancy outcome in the baboon. Subjects (N = 12) received active and placebo treatments sequentially in a crossover protocol. Data were analyzed with two-sample t tests, analysis of variance, Fisher’s exact test, or Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, where appropriate. RESULTS: Chronic administration of enalapril (7.5 mg per day) from before conception achieved moderate but sustained angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibition as determined by repeated measures of renin-angiotensin system parameters (serum angiotensin-converting enzyme activity, plasma renin activity and plasma angiotensin I, angiotensin II, and aldosterone concentrations). Serum angiotensin-converting enzyme activity was significantly reduced throughout (< 10 nmol.ml-1.min-1, p < 0.01), with significant increases in plasma renin activity and angiotensin I (p < 0.01). Angiotensin II a