2ND-TRIMESTER SERUM FLUORESCENCE POLARIZATION IN PATIENTS WHO SUBSEQUENTLY DEVELOP PREGNANCY-INDUCED HYPERTENSION

To determine whether the midtrimester serum lipid profile, as expresse d by fluorescence polarization (FP) values, is decreased in patients w ho subsequently develop pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH). Stored s erum samples of normotensive patients who had undergone midtrimester b iochemical screening for Down's syndrome were used in this case-contro l study. Forty patients who subsequently developed PIH comprised the s tudy group, and were divided into subgroups with proteinuric PIH (P-PI H, n = 18) and those with nonproteinuric PIH (NP-PIH, n = 22). Sixty r andomly selected patients who remained normotensive throughout pregnan cy comprised the control. Serum total cholesterol (CL) and triglycerid es (TC) were determined using enzymatic colorimetric kits. FP values w ere determined by optical microviscosimeter. Both study subgroups had significantly lower FP values and higher TG concentrations than the co ntrol group. Total CL concentrations were slightly higher in the P-PIH subgroup. There were no differences in mean. Total CL or TG concentra tions or mean FP values were found between those patients who develope d mild and severe PIH. Using FP value cutoff points of 0.250, 0.245, a nd 0.240 sensitivity was 95%, 90%, and 78%, respectively, in detecting patients who subsequently developed PIH. Midtrimester serum FP values may have some predictive value for the development of P- and NP-PIH.