SERUM-LIPID PROFILES IN MALAY MOTHERS AND NEONATES - A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

Objective: Preliminary epidemiological data suggest that dyslipidaemia contributes significantly to rising mortality due to atherosclerosis in Peninsular Malays. The aim of this study was to determine whether a bnormal serum lipid profiles are present at birth in this population. Methodology: The patients were 487 non-diabetic Malay women who had an uncomplicated antenatal course and delivered healthy singleton babies at term. Cord blood and maternal post-partum venous blood samples wer e taken for assay of serum cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations using standard enzymatic methods. Results: Maternal total serum chole sterol concentrations (mean +/- SD; 7.5 +/- 2.5 mmol/L) were higher th an in other reported series (range of published means 5.2-6.5 mmol/L) with a correspondingly low high-density lipoprotein (HDL):total choles terol ratio. The mean cord blood total serum cholesterol (1.7 +/- 1.0 mmol/L) was consistent with previously reported population means (1.5- 1.9 mmol/L) but there was a relatively high low-density lipoprotein (L DL)-cholesterol and depressed HDL: cholesterol ratio. Significant corr elations between maternal and neonatal serum total (P = 0.038) and esp ecially HDL-cholesterol (P < 0.001) were observed. Maternal and cord b lood serum triglyceride levels were comparable to those in other serie s. Conclusions: These cross-sectional data provide evidence that abnor mal serum cholesterol profiles are found in pregnant Malay women and t heir neonates which may have implications for the prevalence of macrov ascular disease in the Malay population.