Increased inflammatory response and imbalance in blood and urinary oxidant-antioxidant status in South Indian women with gestational hypertension and preeclampsia.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study is to assess the association of blood and urinary oxidative stress parameters and inflammatory markers in women with gestational hypertension and preeclampsia.

DESIGN AND METHODS

Malondialdehyde, protein bound sialic acid and C-reactive protein were estimated in serum and urine of pregnant women diagnosed with preeclampsia (n=30) and gestational hypertension (n=30) and the results were compared with 30 normal pregnant women.

RESULTS

Whole blood glutathione level was reduced, and malondialdehyde and C-reactive protein levels were significantly higher and correlated with each other in preeclampsia (p<0.05). Urinary malondialdehyde significantly correlated with urinary protein bound sialic acid in preeclampsia (r=0.412; p=0.02). Receiver operating curve analysis of serum protein bound sialic acid and serum malondialdehyde showed reasonable cutoff values for the differential diagnosis of preeclampsia.

CONCLUSIONS

Oxidative stress and inflammatory response are greater in women with preeclampsia in comparison to pregnant women with gestational hypertension and there is an association between oxidative stress and inflammatory response.