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Thiol status and antioxidant capacity in women with a history of severe pre-eclampsia

  1. Maarten T.M. Raijmakers1,*,
  2. Eva Maria Roes2,
  3. Petra L.M. Zusterzeel2,
  4. Eric A.P. Steegers3,
  5. Wilbert H.M. Peters1

Article first published online: 11 FEB 2004

DOI: 10.1111/j.1471-0528.2004.00051.x

Issue

BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology

BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology

Volume 111, Issue 3, pages 207–212, March 2004

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How to Cite

Raijmakers, M. T.M., Roes, E. M., Zusterzeel, P. L.M., Steegers, E. A.P. and Peters, W. H.M. (2004), Thiol status and antioxidant capacity in women with a history of severe pre-eclampsia. BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, 111: 207–212. doi: 10.1111/j.1471-0528.2004.00051.x

Author Information

  1. 1

    Department of Gastroenterology, University Medical Center Nijmegen, The Netherlands

  2. 2

    Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University Medical Center Nijmegen, The Netherlands

  3. 3

    Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

* *Dr M. T. M. Raijmakers, Maternal and Fetal Research Unit, GKT Department of Women's Health, St Thomas' Hospital, London SE1 7EH, UK.

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 11 FEB 2004
  2. Article first published online: 11 FEB 2004

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Objective  To investigate a possible mechanism that could lead to the subsequent development of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) in women with a history of severe pre-eclampsia.

Design  Case–control study.

Setting  University Medical Centre Nijmegen, The Netherlands.

Sample  Non-pregnant women with a history of severe pre-eclampsia (n= 131) and women with an uncomplicated obstetric history (n= 94).

Methods  Total plasma levels of cysteine (tCys), homocysteine (tHcy), cysteinylglycine (tCysGly) and glutathione (tGSH), the free-to-oxidised ratio of these thiols in whole blood, the glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH) enzyme activity and antioxidant capacity were assessed at least 6 months following last pregnancy.

Main outcome measure  Oxidative stress and antioxidant status.

Results  Women with a history of severe pre-eclampsia showed higher levels (mean [SD]) of tHcy (13.1 [5.0] versus 11.5 [4.8] μmol/L; P= 0.018) and tCysGly (37.5 [5.6] versus 34.0 [5.8] μmol/L; P= 0.0001) compared with controls, whereas tCys was lower (232 [31] versus 242 [39]; P= 0.029). The lower free-to-oxidised ratio of homocysteine (2.3 [0.8] versus 2.9 [1.0], P= 0.0001) among women with a history of severe pre-eclampsia as compared with control subjects might indicate a higher oxidant status for homocysteine. Previous severe pre-eclamptic patients had also a higher antioxidant capacity as compared with controls (0.79 [0.14] versus 0.74 [0.11] mmol Fe2+/L, P= 0.002).

Conclusion  Since women with a history of severe pre-eclampsia showed elevated total homocysteine levels, which is an independent risk factor for CVD, and higher oxidised homocysteine levels in whole blood, these women may have an enhanced risk for the subsequent development of cardiovascular-related problems in later life.

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