Abstract

Background: Abnormal lipid profile and increased lipid peroxidation have a basic role in pathogenesis of pregnancy- induced hypertension (PIH). The association of dyslipidemia and lipid peroxidation product malondialdehyde (MDA) with severity of PIH has emerged as important diagnostic tool in predicting its progression.
Objective: To establish the correlation of serum lipid profile and lipid peroxidation product MDA with severity of PIH considering systolic and diastolic blood pressure (BP).
Materials and Methods: Study subjects included 70 women with diagnosed PIH and divided into two groups taking cutoff point of systolic BP 160 mm Hg and diastolic BP 110 mm Hg, respectively. Level of lipoproteins and MDA in patients with PIH was compared in both groups of systolic and diastolic BP. Statistical analysis was done by applying independent Student’s t-test, coefficient of correlation r was determined, and p-value <0.05 was considered to be statistically significant. Result: A significant higher level of total cholesterol (TC), very-low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), triglycerides (TGs), and MDA was estimated in PIH subjects with systolic BP ≥160 mm Hg. PIH patients had significantly elevated serum TC, VLDL-C, LDL-C, TGs, TC/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and LDL-C/HDL-C ratio and MDA with diastolic BP ≥110 mm of Hg. A positive and statistically significant correlation was found between BP (systolic and diastolic) and TC, VLDL-C, LDL-C, TGs, TC/HDL-C, LDL-C/HDL-C, and MDA. Conclusion: Dyslipidemia and increased lipid peroxidation contributes to the pathogenesis and severity of PIH hence their early detection would aid in better management of PIH. Diastolic BP has come out as better criteria than systolic BP for assessing severity of PIH.