[The roll-over test in pregnancy: physiopathologic and clinical aspects]

The Roll-over-test method proposed by Gant for predicting arterial hypertension during pregnancy was performed on 37 pregnant women from the 26th to the 30th week of gestation: there were 7 positive ROTs (19%) and 30 negative ROTs (81%). Among 7 patients with positive ROT, four did not develop hypertension. Among 30 patients with negative ROT only two developed hypertension. In an attempt to elucidate the etiopathogenetic mechanisms involved in an increase of diastolic blood pressure in supine decubitus characteristic of positive ROT, creatinine and PRAs plasmatic determinations were performed and urinary levels of aldosterone, electrolytes (Na,K), metabolites of catecholamine and creatinine were determined: serum and urinary values not showing sufficient variation to provide an etiopathogenetic hypothesis. ROT gives a fair margin of assurance in negative cases, but too great a false-positive percentage from a clinical viewpoint.