Lipoprotein (a) and Atherogenic Index of Plasma are Indicators for Endothelial Dysfunction in Pregnancy-induced Hypertensive Women

Abstract

Introduction: PIH is one of the most common causes of both maternal and neonatal morbidity. Endothelial dysfunction (ED) is a classic hallmark for PE. The mechanisms involved in the induction of ED are poorly understood. The disorders in lipoprotein metabolism are one of the most important causes for ED. AIP is another risk factor calculated by log (triglyceride/HDL-c) which is an indicator of atherosclerosis. The role of Lp(a) in atherosclerosis and its ability to induce thrombosis makes it important in normal and complicated pregnancies. So, a study has been designed to analyse the levels of Lp(a), Atherogenic index of plasma (AIP), and Nitric oxide (NO) in PIH women. Materials & Methods:A cross-sectional analytical study involved normotensive, PE & E pregnant women with 100 subjects in each group. They were investigated for serum Lp(a), NO in the 3rd trimester of pregnancy. Lp(a) was estimated by commercial kit method, NO was measured by Griess method and AIP was calculated by standard formula log (triglyceride/HDL-c). Results: The systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), AIP were significantly high and NO levels were significantly low between 3 groups. The Lp(a) levels were significantly high in PE than controls. The Lp(a) and AIP were negatively correlated with NO. Conclusion: Lp(a) and AIP are indicators to predict endothelial dysfunction in preeclampsia and eclampsia subjects. AIP may be better predicable indicator than Lp(a), since it was significantly raised in both PE and E.