FLUORESCENCE POLARIZATION OF SERUM-LIPIDS IN PREGNANCIES COMPLICATED BY HYPERTENSIVE DISORDER

Hypertensive disorders in pregnancy are associated with an increase in serum lipid fractions. Fluorescence Polarization (FP) of lipids in th e serum of 80 hypertensive pregnant patients at full term was compared to measurements in a control group of 71 healthy pregnant volunteers. In addition, the FP values were correlated with measurements of serum lipid fraction in 34 hypertensive and 17 control patients. Both chron ic hypertension and pregnany induced hypertensive (PIH) subjects had s ignificantly reduced serum FP values compared to the control group. Th is difference was however present only in the severely hypertensive pa tients, independent of the etiology of this disorder. Highly significa nt correlations were present between the FP values and Serum level of Triglycerides r = -0.85, Very Low Density Lipoprotein r = -0.76, and L ow Density Lipoprotein r = 0.53. Serum FP values appear to reflect the change in the lipoprotein pattern present in pregnant patients with h ypertensive disorders. This change appears to reflect the severity of the condition rather than the etiology of the hypertension.