Objectives: To find out whether there is a lipid profile changes in pregnant women with preeclampsia and if we can use these lipid profile changes as markers of the severity of preeclampsia (for follow up to avoid leaving the patient reaching ecplamptic stage).
Design: A prospective case-control study.
Setting: AL- Kadhimiya Teaching hospital/department of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
Materials and Methods: The study included 120 pregnant women in the third trimester. They were divided into three groups. The study group consists of 60 preeclamptic and eclamptic women, 25 women had mild pre-eclampsia and 35 women with severe preeclampsia. The control group consists of 60 normotensive pregnant women. Blood sample was drown after 8-10 hours fasting. Triglyceride, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and very low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels were measured.
Results: Triglyceride and VLDL-C level of severe Preeclampsia group and mild Preeclampsia group was higher than the control group, but the difference between the severe PE group and the control group was statistically significant (p<0.05). Serum cholesterol in the severe PE group was significantly higher than in mild PE group and in the control group (p<0.05). LDL-C and HDL-C levels were determined similarly in all groups (p>0.05). A highly significant positive correlation between the level of proteinuria and serum cholesterol levels, LDL-C, TG and VLDL-C levels. While there was significantly negative correlation between proteinuria and HDL-C levels. Also, a significant positive correlation between the systolic-tension and serum cholesterol levels, TG, VLDL-C levels and among the diastolic-tension and with LDL-C, TG, VLDL-C levels.
Conclusion: Changes in levels of lipid profile are related with preeclampsia, especially with severe preeclampsia.