Study of serum lipid profile in pregnancy induced hypertension in Benin City

Abstract

Background: Pregnancy induced hypertension (P.I.H) continues to be a major obstetric problem in present day healthcare practice. At recent times, there has been a great interest on the role of lipid metabolism in the development of pregnancy induced hypertension and pre-eclampsia Objective: To evaluate the role of lipid profile in the ethiopathogenesis of pregnancy Induced hypertension and pre-eclampsia. Patients And Methods: A total of 60 subjects divided into 3 groups. The first group (n=20) were pregnant women with pregnancy induced hypertension, while the second group (n=20) were normontensive pregnant women and the last group (n=20) were non-pregnant normotensive women. All did not have previous history of chronic hypertension, thyroid disease, renal disease dislipidemia or diabetes mellitus. Serum triglyceride, total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol was measured. Results: Mean serum triglyceride was higher in (Group 1) pregnant women with pregnancy induced hypertension than in Groups 2 and 3, this was however not statistically significant(p>0.05). Mean total cholesterol was higher in group 1 and 2 compared with group 3 but was not statistically significant. HDL cholesterol was lowest in Group 1 compared with Groups 2 and 3, this was not statistically significant (p>0.05). LDL-cholesterol was similar in the 3 groups. Total cholesterol showed a statistically significant correlation with gestational age,(r=.550,p<0.05). Diastolic blood pressure showed a fairly strong negative correlation with HDL(r= -.494) which was statistically significant. (p<0.05) CONCLUSION: Women with pregnancy induced hypertension showed mild hypertriglyceridemia. Total cholesterol correlated significantly with gestational age in this group. HDL cholesterol correlated negatively with diastolic blood pressure which was statistically significant, while triglycerides, total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol correlated weakly with diastolic blood pressure.

Keywords: Pregnancy induced hypertension (PIH), LDL-cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, total cholesterol, triglyceride