(31)P and (1)h nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy of blood plasma in female patients with preeclampsia.

OBJECTIVE

Using (31)P and (1)H magnetic resonance spectroscopy to measure phosphorus- and hydrogen-containing metabolites, this study aimes to investigate whether or not women with preeclampsia have detectable systemic abnormalities concerning certain components of the blood plasma.

METHODS

PLASMA WAS OBTAINED FROM TWO GROUPS OF WOMEN: Group 1 with preeclampsia (n=10) and Group 2, as a control group with no complications during pregnancy (n=10). Plasma analysis were performed using in-vitro (31)P and (1)H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy.

RESULTS

(31)P nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra showed significantly higher levels of lysophosphatidylcholine 1 in the plasma of the patients in Group 1, along with significantly decreased levels of lysophosphatidylcholine 2 and phosphatidylinositol. However, the total amount of phospholipids did not differ significantly between the groups. In addition, the (1)H NMR spectra showed a significantly lower level of HDL in samples from Group 1, and a trend towards higher plasma levels of VLDL 2 and LDL 2 in the same group.

CONCLUSION

This study supports the theory that preeclampsia is a disorder in phospholipid metabolism in which malfunctioning of cellular membranes seems to play a major pathogenic role.