A Study of Lipid Profile and Antioxidant Capacity in Pregnancy Induced Hypertension

Objectives: (1) To evaluate the relationship between different fractions of serum lipid and subtypes of PIH. (2) Assessing consumption of antioxidants due to increased lipid peroxidation in pregnancy induced hypertension that may contribute to atherogenicity and pathogenesis in pregnancy induced hypertension.

Design and setting: This was a prospective study, conducted between October 2012 and December 2012 in the department of obstetrics and gynaecology- MGM Medical College and associated M.Y. Hospital.

Method and material: This study was carried out on 250 patients, divided in four groups: (a) gestational hypertension, (b) pre-eclampsia, (c) eclampsia and (d) normotensive pregnant women (controls). Blood samples were collected from all patients and analysed enzymatically for serum cholesterol, triglycerides, and VLDL, LDL, HDL and spectrophotometric antioxidant capacity.

Statistical analysis used: Statistical analysis done with SPSS-17 programme, variables were described first than compared between three groups using ANNOVA test. A p-value < 0 .05 was considered significant.

Results: In our study, level of serum cholesterol, triglyceride, low density lipoproteins and very low density lipoproteins were significantly higher in all subgroups of PIH as compared to normotensive pregnant patients. Antioxidant capacity was also significantly low in PIH patients compared to normotensive pregnant patients.

Conclusion: Significant difference in the level of lipids and antioxidant capacity between PIH and normotensive pregnant patients suggests that lipid metabolism and lipid peroxidation play key role in pathophysiology of PIH.