Low whole blood glutathione levels in pregnancies complicated by preeclampsia or the hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, low platelets syndrome

Objective: To investigate the pathophysiologic involvement of glutathione in pregnancies complicated by preeclampsia or the hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, low platelets (HELLP) syndrome. Methods: Total whole blood glutathione levels were measured by high performance liquid chromatography in 23 women with pregnancies complicated by preeclampsia or the HELLP syndrome and in 22 normotensive gravidas. Total glutathione levels and the total glutathione/hemoglobin ratios of patients were compared with those of controls by the Mann-Whitney U test. Results: Median total glutathione levels were lower in preeclamptic pregnancies or those complicated by the HELLP syndrome than in normotensive pregnancies (647 [range 268-986] and 750 [range 495-1572] mu mol/L, P = .05). The median total glutathione/hemoglobin ratios were significantly lower in preeclamptic pregnancies or in those complicated by the HELLP syndrome than in normotensive pregnancies (0.079 [range 0.033-0.122] and 0.101 [range 0.073-0.210], P = .02). Conclusion: Decreased total glutathione levels in maternal whole blood might indicate decreased detoxificating or free radical scavenging capacity in pregnancies complicated by preeclampsia or the HELLP syndrome. (Obstet Gynecol 1998;92:1012-15. (C) 1998 by The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.).