Emmanuel I. Ugwuja
Department of Chemical Pathology, Faculty of Clinical Medicine, Ebonyi State University, P.M.B. 053, Abakaliki, Nigeria
Boniface N. Ejikeme
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Faculty of Clinical Medicine, Ebonyi State University, P.M.B. 053, Abakaliki, Nigeria
Nicholas C. Ugwu
Department of Chemical Pathology, Faculty of Clinical Medicine, Ebonyi State University, P.M.B. 053, Abakaliki, Nigeria
Ndudim C. Obeka
Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Clinical Medicine, Ebonyi State University, P.M.B. 053, Abakaliki, Nigeria
Emmanuel I. Akubugwo
Department of Biochemistry, Abia State University, Uturu, Abia State, Nigeria
Onyechi Obidoa
Department of Biochemistry, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State, Nigeria
ABSTRACT
With the increasing speculations of the involvement of nutrition, particularly trace elements in the pathogenesis of preeclampsia, a comparative study of plasma copper, iron and zinc levels was carried out between preeclamptic and non-eclamptic Nigerian women living in Abakaliki, Southeastern Nigeria. Data for 40 preeclamptic and 40 non-eclamptic women matched for age, gestational age, Body Mass Index (BMI), parity and socioeconomic status from a cohort of 349 pregnant women recruited at gestational age <25 weeks for the assessment of impacts of trace elements status on pregnancy outcomes were analyzed. In addition to trace elements which were determined by Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (Buck Scientific, Model AVG 210), Total White Blood Cell Count (TWBC) and Haemoglobin Concentration (HbC) were determined using standard laboratory techniques. The preeclamptic and the non-eclamptic women had comparable TWBC and HbC with the former having significantly (p < 0.05) higher blood pressure. However, although, the preeclamptic women had lower plasma copper, iron and zinc levels than the non-eclamptic women, only copper was found to be statistically significant (6.02±7.23 vs. 10.23±9.84 μmol/l, p<0.05). It is thus concluded that preeclampsia is associated with significant decrease in plasma copper. Further research is desired to elucidate the role of trace elements, especially copper in the pathogenesis of pregnancy induced hypertension.
PDF References
How to cite this article
Emmanuel I. Ugwuja, Boniface N. Ejikeme, Nicholas C. Ugwu, Ndudim C. Obeka, Emmanuel I. Akubugwo and Onyechi Obidoa, 2010. Comparison of Plasma Copper, Iron and Zinc Levels in Hypertensive and Non-hypertensive Pregnant Women in Abakaliki, South Eastern Nigeria. Pakistan Journal of Nutrition, 9: 1136-1140.
DOI: 10.3923/pjn.2010.1136.1140
URL: https://scialert.net/abstract/?doi=pjn.2010.1136.1140
DOI: 10.3923/pjn.2010.1136.1140
URL: https://scialert.net/abstract/?doi=pjn.2010.1136.1140
REFERENCES
- ACOG Committee on Obstetric Practice, 2002. Diagnosis and management of preeclampsia and eclampsia. Int. J. Gynaecol. Obstet., 77: 67-75.
CrossRefPubMedDirect Link - Atamer, Y., Y. Kocyigit, B. Yokus, A. Atamer and A.C. Erden, 2005. Lipid peroxidation, antioxidant defense, status of trace metals and leptin levels in preeclampsia. Eur. J. Obstet. Gynecol. Reprod. Biol., 1: 60-66.
CrossRefPubMedDirect Link - Belizan, J.M., J. Villar, A. Zalazar, L. Rojas, D. Chan and G.F. Bryce, 1983. Preliminary evidence of the effect of calcium supplementation on blood pressure in normal pregnant women. Am. J. Obstet. Gynaecol., 146: 175-180.
PubMedDirect Link - Caughey, A.B., N.E. Stotland, A.E. Washington and G.J. Escobar, 2005. Maternal ethnicity, paternal ethnicity and parental ethnic discordance: Predictors of preeclampsia. Obstet. Gynaecol., 106: 156-161.
PubMedDirect Link - Conlan, D., R. Korula and D. Tallentire, 1990. Serum copper levels in elderly patients with femoral-neck fractures. Age Ageing, 19: 212-214.
CrossRefPubMedDirect Link - Dacie, J.V. and S.M. Lewis, 1994. Practical Haematology. 8th Edn., Churchill Livingstone, Edinburg, ISBN-13: 978-0443049316, pp: 608.
Direct Link - Eaton-Evans, J., E.M. Mellwrath, W.E. Jackson, H. McCartney and J.J. Strain, 1996. Copper supplementation and the maintenance of bone mineral density in middle-aged women. J. Trace Elem. Exp. Med., 9: 87-94.
CrossRefDirect Link - Fox, P.L., B. Mazumder, E. Ehrenwald and C.K. Mukhopadhyay, 2000. Ceruloplasmin and cardiovascular disease. Free Radic Biol. Med., 28: 1735-1744.
CrossRef - Golmohammad, S., A. Amirabi, M. Yazdian and N. Pashapour, 2008. Evaluation of serum calcium, magnesium, copper and zinc levels in women with pre-eclampsia. Iran J. Med. Sci., 33: 231-234.
Direct Link - Harma, M., M. Harma and A. Kocyigit, 2005. Correlation between maternal plasma homocysteine and zinc levels in preeclamptic women. Biol. Trace Elem. Res., 104: 97-105.
CrossRefPubMedDirect Link - Hube, C.A., 1998. Dyslipidaemia, iron and oxidative stress in preeclampsia: Assessment of maternal and feto-placental interactions. Semin Reprod. Endocrinol., 16: 75-92.
PubMedDirect Link - Ilhan, N., N. Ilhan and M. Simsek, 2002. The changes of trace elements, malondialdehyde levels and superoxide dismutase activities in pregnancy with or without preeclampsia. Clin. Biochem., 35: 393-397.
CrossRefPubMedDirect Link - Jones, A.A., R.A. DiSilvestro, M. Coleman and T.L. Wagner, 1997. Copper supplementation of adult men: Effects on blood copper enzyme activities and indicators of cardiovascular disease risk. Metabolism, 46: 1380-1383.
CrossRefPubMedDirect Link - Kumru, S., S. Aydin, M. Simsek, K. Sahin, M. Yaman and G. Ay, 2003. Comparison of serum copper, zinc, calcium and magnesium levels in preeclamptic and healthy pregnant women. Biol. Trace Elem. Res., 94: 105-112.
PubMedDirect Link - Laivuori, H., R. Kaaja, U. Turpeinen, L. Viinikka and O. Ylikorkala, 1999. Plasma homocysteine levels elevated and inversely related to insulin sensitivity in preeclampsia. Obstet. Gynaecol., 93: 489-493.
CrossRefPubMedDirect Link - Leone, N., D. Courbon, P. Ducimetiere and M. Zureik, 2006. Zinc, copper and magnesium and risks for all-cause, cancer and cardiovascular mortality. Epidemiology, 17: 308-314.
CrossRefPubMedDirect Link - Malek, F., E. Jiresova, A. Dohnalova, H. Koprivova and R. Spacek, 2006. Serum copper as a marker of inflammation in prediction of short term outcome in high risk patients with chronic heart failure. Int. J. Cardiol., 113: E51-E53.
CrossRefPubMedDirect Link - Mohamed, K., M.A. Williams, G.B. Woelk, S. Mudzamiri, S. Madzime and I.B. King, 2000. Leucocyte selenium, zinc and copper concentrations in preeclamptic and normotensive pregnant women. Biol. Trace Elem. Res., 75: 107-118.
CrossRefPubMedDirect Link - Paknahad, Z., N. Talebi and L. Azadbakht, 2008. Dietary determinants of pregnancy induced hypertension in Isfahan. J. Res. Med. Sci., 13: 17-21.
Direct Link - Prasad, A.S., 1998. Zinc deficiency in humans: A neglected problem. J. Am. Coll. Nutr., 17: 542-543.
PubMedDirect Link - Roberts, J.M. and C.A. Hubel, 2004. Oxidative stress in preeclampsia. Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol., 190: 1177-1178.
PubMed - Sarsam, D.S., M. Shamden and R. Al-Wazan, 2008. Expectant versus aggressive management in severe preeclampsia remote from term. Singapore Med. J., 49: 698-703.
PubMedDirect Link - Singh, K., Y.F. Fong and S. Arulkumaran, 1998. Anaemia in pregnancy-a cross sectional study in Singapore. Eur. J. Clin. Nutr., 52: 65-70.
PubMedDirect Link - Skjaerven, R., A. Wilcox and R.T. Lie, 2002. The interval between pregnancies and the risk of preeclampsia. N. Engl. J. Med., 346: 33-38.
PubMedDirect Link - Ugwuja, E.I., E.I. Akubugwo, U.A. Ibiam and O. Obidoa, 2010. Impact of maternal copper and zinc status on pregnancy outcomes in a population of pregnant Nigerians. Pak. J. Nutr., 9: 678-682.
CrossRefDirect Link - Ugwuja, E.I., E.I. Akubugwo, U.A. Ibiam, O. Obidoa and N.C. Ugwu, 2010. Plasma copper and zinc among pregnant women in Abakaliki, Southeastern Nigeria. The Internet J. Nutr. Wellness, Vol. 10, No. 1.
Direct Link - Williams, M.A., A. Farrand and R. Mittendorf, 1999. Maternal second trimester serum tumour necrosis factor-α-soluble receptor p55 (sTNFp55) and subsequent risk of preeclampsia. Am. J. Epidemiol., 149: 323-329.
Direct Link - Ziaei, S., S.H.K. Motlagh Bonab and A. Kazemnejad, 2006. Serum lipid levels at 28-32 weeks gestation and hypertensive disorders. Hypertens Preg., 25: 3-10.
PubMedDirect Link - Dekker, G.A. and B.M. Sibai, 1998. Aetiology and pathogenesis of preeclampsia: Current concepts. Am. J. Obstet. Gynaecol., 179: 1359-1375.
PubMed