Comparison of Lipid Peroxidation and Anti-Oxidant Ac-tivities in Pre-Eclamptic & Normal Pregnancies in Nigerian Population

Abstract

Purpose: To\rcompare the serum malondialdehyde (MDA) and total antioxidant status in women\rwith preeclampsia and normal pregnancy in our environment. Materials & Methods: This was a 3-year,\rcross-sectional, case control study of 100 preeclamptic and\r200 normotensive pregnant women at Ladoke Akintola University of Technology\r(LAUTECH) Teaching Hospital, Osogbo, Nigeria. The study protocol was reviewed\rand approved by our Institutional Ethical Review\rCommittee and all participants gave their consent. The\rfasting serum of recruited patients were analysed for Malondialdehyde (MDA)\rwith rapid, sensitive and specific Thiobarbituric Acid (TBA) assay, while the\rTotal Antioxidant status (TAS) was determined using the capacity\rof the biological fluids to inhibit the production of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) from sodium\rbenzoate under the influence of the free oxygen radicals derived from Fenton’s reaction. Results: The\rmean serum MDA was significantly higher in the preeclamptic group (2.96 nmol/ mL) than the value recorded (1.23 nmol/mL) in the control group (P =\r0.0001). Conversely, significantly lower mean TAS (0.46 nmol/mL vs 0.62 nmol/mL) was noticed in the preeclamptic group (P = 0.0001). Conclusion: The study showed significant increase in lipid\rperoxidation and failure of compensatory antioxidant functions in preeclamptic\rpregnant Nigerian women.