Maternal serum ceruloplasmin in preectampsia

Preeclampsia is a disorder of pregnancy with increased maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality. Endothelial cell dysfunction is important in the pathogenesis of preeclampsia. An imbalance between free radical induced lipid peroxidation and antioxidant system has been suggested as a possible pathogenic factor for impaired endothelial cell function. Ceruloplasmin is a glycoprotein which has an antioxidative effect due to prevention of metal ion-catalyzed oxidation of lipids in the cell membrane. This study was designed to evaluate maternal serum levels of ceruloplasmin in preeclampsia. Thirty women with preeclampsia were included in the study. Preeclampsia was defined as hypertension in combination with proteinuria developing after 20 weeks’ gestation. Patients with a history of anti-hypertensive drug therapy systemic disease HELLP syndrome were excluded from the study. Normotensive pregnant women were carefully matched with 30 women with preeclampsia with regard to age and gestational age (within two weeks). None of the control patients had medical or obstetric complications. (excerpt)