Radical-scavenging antioxidants in pre-eclampsia and eclampsia

Objective: Increased free-radical activity may be implicated in the pathogenesis of pre-eclampsia and knowledge of the response of the antioxidant systems is limited in pre-eclampsia and lacking in eclampsia. Accordingly, this study was initiated to assess total antioxidant status in pre-eclampsia and eclampsia. Method: Thirty-five patients with pre-eclampsia (20 mild and 15 severe), 10 patients with eclampsia and 20 normotensive women (controls) with singleton gestations in the third trimester participated in this study. Their freshly drawn blood was assayed for total antioxidant status colorimetrically using incubation mixture of ABTS, a peroxidase (metmyoglobin) and H2O2. In addition, serum fibronectin was determined by radial immunodiffusion. Result: Serum total antioxidant status levels in mild and severe pre-eclampsia and eclampsia were significantly lower than that of healthy pregnant women (controls). The mean percent decreases amounted to 22 %, 40 % and 59 %, respectively, indicating the propensity of these patients to oxidative stress. Conclusion: These results demonstrate that radical-scavenging antioxidants are consumed by the increased free-radical activity in pre-eclampsia. The mechanisms by which free radicals are involved in endothelial dysfunction and renal injury are explained as evidenced by significant negative correlation of fibronectin and positive correlation of creatinine clearance with total antioxidants. (C) 1998 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics.