The evaluation of the oxidative state of low-density lipoproteins in intrauterine growth restriction and preeclampsia.

Objective: To evaluate the oxidative state of lipoproteins in pregnancies complicated by intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) in comparison to preeclampsia (PE) and healthy pregnant control subjects (CN).

Methods: Maternal serum of 20 PE, 29 IUGR, and 29 gestational age-matched CN were analyzed. Total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-bound cholesterol (LDL-C), and oxidized LDL (oxLDL) concentration were measured once between 25 and 34 weeks of gestation. Statistical estimates were performed by Student's t-test.

Results: Serum concentrations of LDL-C and TC were significantly reduced in IUGR [LDL-C: CN - mean = 146 mg/dL, SD = ± 40.1; IUGR - mean = 102 mg/dL, SD = ± 27.3 (p < 0.0001); PE - mean = 130 mg/dL, SD = 38.8 mg/dL; TC: CN - mean = 259/dL, SD = ± 46.8; IUGR - mean = 218 mg/dL, SD = ± 35.0 (p < 0.001); PE - mean = 244 mg/dL, SD = 48.2]. There was no significant difference in oxLDL/LDL-C ratio within the three groups (CN: mean = 0.76, SD = 0.24; IUGR: mean = 0.74, SD = 0.12; PE: mean = 0.77, SD = 0.22).

Conclusion: Our results show a lower maternal LDL-C and TC concentration in IUGR pregnancies. These data contribute to the hypothesis of a decreased cholesterol supply to the fetus in IUGR. However, we could not confirm the hypothesis of an altered oxidative state in neither IUGR nor PE.