Elemental analysis of serum and hair from pre-eclamptic South African women.
Pre-eclampsia is a hypertensive disorder that is associated with adverse maternal and perinatal outcomes. It has been proposed that specific trace and macro elements associated with antioxidant activities may also play a contributory role in aetiology of pre-eclampsia. The aim of this study was to measure the concentrations of thirteen different elements in hair and serum samples from women with a diagnosis of pre-eclampsia and compare them with normotensive controls. Venous blood and pubic hair samples were collected from forty-three pre-eclamptic and twenty-three normotensive pregnant women. In each sample, the concentration of arsenic (As); calcium (Ca); cadmium (Cd); chromium (Cr); cobalt (Co); magnesium (Mg); manganese (Mn); iron (Fe); copper (Cu); lead (Pb); selenium (Se); nickel (Ni); zinc (Zn) were measured using inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry. Cobalt concentration in hair was significantly lower in the pre-eclampsia group (1.56±0.74μg/g) compared to the normotensive group (2.89±4.99μg/g) (p=0.02). The concentrations of Zn and Cr were significantly higher in hair samples from the pre-eclamptic group, compared to the normotensive control group (Zn, 395.99±48.60 vs 330.88±29.70μg/g; Cr, 13.31±2.67 vs 11.05±7.62μg/g: p≤0.05). There were no significant differences in the hair levels of other elements between groups. Serum Zn was significantly higher in the pre-eclamptic group (0.16-253.4mg/L) compared to the normotensive group (0.2-48.4mg/L) (p=0.01). Serum Ca, Co, Cu, Mg, Mn and Se levels were found to be significantly lower in the pre-eclamptic group compared to the normotensive group (p<0.05). This study confirms the association between pre-eclampsia and maternal trace as well as macro element levels.
Optics and Imaging Centre, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Electronic address: madurayk@yahoo.com.
K
K
Maduray
Womens' Health and HIV Research Group, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
J
J
Moodley
Optics and Imaging Centre, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
C
C
Soobramoney
Department of Chemistry, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
R
R
Moodley
Optics and Imaging Centre, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
T
T
Naicker
D000328:Adult; D002104:Cadmium / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D002857:Chromium / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D003300:Copper / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006197:Hair / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D008274:Magnesium / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D009532:Nickel / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000097:blood*; D011247:Pregnancy; D013020:South America; D014131:Trace Elements / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood*; D055815:Young Adult; D015032:Zinc / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood
D014131:Trace Elements; D002104:Cadmium; D002857:Chromium; D003300:Copper; D009532:Nickel; D008274:Magnesium; D015032:Zinc
Blood pressure; Hypertension; Macronutrients; Pre-eclampsia; Pregnancy; Trace elements