Oxidative stress in pre-eclampsia

Background. The objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that mat ernal plasma, cord plasma and placental tissue lipid peroxidation products are increased and antioxidants are decreased in women with pre-eclampsia. Methods, Placenta, maternal and cord plasma were collected at delivery from 29 normal, 21 pre-eclamptic and six eclamptic women. Plasma was collected from 21 non-pregnant matched controls. The analyses were measured by HPLC a nd colorimetric assay. Results. Plasma maternal concentrations of uric acid, LPO, MDA, ascorbic ac id, vitamin E and cholesterol were not significantly different in pre-eclam psia as compared with normal pregnancy. Plasma concentrations of ascorbic a cid and vitamin E were not significantly different in normal pregnancy as c ompared with the non-pregnant controls. Cord plasma concentrations of MDA w ere significantly higher in eclampsia (1.16 +/- 0.26 mu mol/l) as compared with normal pregnancy (0.79 +/- 0.05 mu mol/l, p <0.02) and pre-eclampsia ( 0.83 +/- 0.05 mu mol/l, p <0.05). Cord plasma concentrations of vitamin E w ere significantly higher in eclampsia (21.3 +/- 7.5 mu mol/l) as compared w ith normal pregnancy (10.2 +/- 1.1 mu mol/l, p <0.01) and pre-eclampsia (10 .4 +/- 1.8 mu mol/l, p <0.04). Placental concentrations of LPO, MDA and asc orbic acid were not significantly different in pre-eclampsia as compared wi th normal pregnancy. Plasma cord concentrations of LPO and placental concen trations of vitamin E were undetected for normal pregnant, pre-eclamptic an d eclamptic women respectively. Uric acid concentrations were significantly increased in eclampsia as compared with the non-pregnant controls (P <0.00 01), normal pregnant controls (p <0.0001) and pre-eclampsia (p <0.008). Conclusions. The findings in this study do not show any evidence of deficie ncy in the maternal protective antioxidant systems or increased production of lipid peroxidation products, LPO and MDA in African women with pre-eclam psia as compared with normal pregnancy. However, there was evidence of incr eased cord plasma concentrations of MDA and vitamin E in eclampsia as compa red with normal pregnancy and pre-eclampsia. The placenta may be effective in removing MDA, The antioxidant uric acid serves as a protective role whil st the antioxidant and oxidant capacity in the different study groups remai ned unchanged.