Serum cholesterol and ceruloplasmin levels in second trimester can predict development of pre-eclampsia

BACKGROUND: Pre-eclampsia is one of the leading causes of high rates of maternal and perinatal mortality and morbidity. Pathophysiology of pre-eclampsia is still obscure. Currently, there are no screening tests for pre-eclampsia that are reliable, valid, and economical. Parameters of oxidative stress could be early markers of endothelial dysfunction that predates clinical pre-eclampsia. AIM: This study was to study ceruloplasmin in nulliparous women as marker of oxidative stress and lipid profile to evaluate their value in prediction of pre-eclampsia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Prospective observational study. 306 nulliparous women had their serum lipid profile and ceruloplasmin levels measured at 14-16 weeks period of gestation as sample 1 and at 18-20 weeks as sample 2. All cases were followed up till the end of pregnancy for development of pre-eclampsia. RESULTS: There was no statistically significant difference between the normals and pre-eclampsia cases at 14-16 week for all the oxidative stress parameters (P > 0.05), but at 18-20 week, there was statistically significant difference between the normals and pre-eclampsia cases in cholesterol and ceruloplasmin parameters (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Cholesterol and ceruloplasmin levels in second trimester (18-20 weeks) can predict the development of pre-eclampsia.