MATERNAL-FETAL MEDICINE Metabolic dysfunctions in Nigerian pre-eclamptics M. O. Akiibinu • T. O. Kolawole • O. A. Ekun • S. O. Akiibinu Received: 20 August 2012 / Accepted: 13 April 2013 Ó Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2013 Abstract Aim The patho-physiology of pre-eclampsia is not fully understood. This study determined the plasma levels of markers of oxidative stress, thyroid hormones, nitric oxide, C-reactive protein, and nutritional profiles in pre-eclamptic patients. Methods Thirty-two pregnant women with pre-eclampsia and 40 women with normal pregnancy (controls) partici- pated in this study. The pre-eclamptics were recruited after 20 weeks of gestation. They presented with hypertension (systolic pressure = 169 ± 26.0 mmHg, diastolic pressure = 102 ± 11.0 mmHg), significant proteinuria (368 ± 39 mg/24 h), severe headache, abdominal pain and vom- iting. The plasma levels of total antioxidant potential (TAP), total plasma peroxides (TPP), total cholesterol (TC), total protein (TP), albumin, globulin, nitric oxide (NO), C-reactive protein (CRP), total tri-iodotyronine (TT3) and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) were determined in them using spectrophotometry, radial immunodiffusion and enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) methods, respectively. Oxidative stress index (OSI) was calculated as the percent ratio of TPP and TAP. Results The weight and body mass index of pre- eclamptics increased significantly (p \ 0.05) when com- pared with the controls. The mean systolic and diastolic blood pressure increased significantly (p \ 0.001) in pre- eclamptics when compared with the controls. Plasma mean values of TAP, NO, albumin, TP and TT3 decreased sig- nificantly (p \ 0.05) in pre-eclamptics when compared with the controls. The plasma mean values of TSH, TPP, OSI, CRP, and TC increased significantly (p \ 0.05) in pre-eclamptics when compared with the controls. There was no significant change in the plasma value of globulin when compared with the controls. TT3 correlated posi- tively with plasma TP and globulin in the pre-eclamptics. Conclusion It could be concluded that hypothyroidism, hypercholesterolemia, oxidative stress and deranged inflammatory responses are possible features of pre- eclampsia. Keywords Total tri-iodotyronine Á Nitric oxide Á C-reactive protein Á Oxidative stress Á Cholesterol Á Pre-eclampsia Introduction Pre-eclampsia is a complex metabolic defect that affects about 3–7 % of pregnancies usually in second or third trimester [1]. The pathogenesis of pre-eclampsia is not clear, but existing theories associated pre-eclampsia with shallowly implanted placenta, placenta insufficiency, M. O. Akiibinu Department of Biochemistry, College of Pure and Applied Sciences, Caleb University Lagos, Ibadan, Nigeria M. O. Akiibinu (&) G.P.O Box 11379 Dugbe, Ibadan, Oyo state, Nigeria e-mail: akiibinumoses@yahoo.com T. O. Kolawole Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Ladoke Akinto la University of Technology, Ogbomoso, Nigeria O. A. Ekun Department of Chemical Pathology and Immunology, College of Health Sciences, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State, Nigeria S. O. Akiibinu Clinical Nursing Department, University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria 123 Arch Gynecol Obstet DOI 10.1007/s00404-013-2854-4