Pre-eclampsia and eclampsia associated with increased lipid peroxidation and decreased serum vitamin E levels

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate lipid peroxidation and the serum levels of the antioxidant vitamin E in pre-eclampsia according to the disease severity. Method: Serum malondialdehyde (MDA) and vitamin E levels were measured in 18 pre-eclamptic, 15 eclamptic and 25 normotensive pregnant women in Ondokuz Mayis University Hospital. The correlation of these levels with the factors indicating disease severity was tested. Mann-Whitney U-test and correlation coefficients were used for the statistical analysis. Result: Both the pre-eclamptic and the eclamptic patients had higher MDA and lower vitamin E levels compared with control (P < 0.05); but these values were not significantly different from each other (P > 0.05). MDA levels were significantly correlated with the systolic and diastolic blood pressure (BP) and with serum uric acid levels. There was significant but negative correlation with the vitamin E levels. Conclusion: There is an imbalance between lipid peroxidation and serum vitamin E levels in pre-eclampsia and eclampsia. Increased lipid peroxidation is well correlated with the increase in systolic and diastolic BP measurements and serum uric acid levels. (C) 1999 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics.