Erythrocyte membrane composition in pregnancy‐induced hypertension: evidence for an altered lipid profile

Abstract

Objective To investigate whether the increased membrane fluidity postulated as a possible contributing factor to the hypertensive states of pregnancy is related to the lipid composition of the erythrocyte membrane. Design An observational case control study. Subjects 30 women with pregnancy induced hypertension, 26 normotensive pregnant women matched for gestational age, and 10 normotensive non pregnant nulliparous women. Interventions Erythrocyte membranes were prepared from venous blood samples obtained from all the women. Main outcomes measures Lipid analysis, including cholesterol to phospholipids ratio, distribution of phospholipid classes and fatty acid composition of total phospholipids in erythrocyte ghosts. Results The cholesterol/phospholipid ratio was significantly higher in the women with pregnancy induced hypertension compared with the normotensive pregnant women (mean 1.24, SD 0.31, 95% CI 1.12 to 1.35 vs mean 0.90, SD 0.09, 95% CI 0.86 to 0.94; P <0.01). Normotensive non‐pregnant erythrocyte membrane cholesterol/ phospholipid ratio was 0.88 (SD 0.11, 95% CI 0.79 to 0.96). The percentage distribution of different phospholipid classes and fatty acid composition was similar in all the four groups. Conclusions The increased cholesterol/phospholipid ratio of the erythrocyte membrane found in pregnancy‐induced hypertension represents one factor involved in the pathophysiology of this condition and a possible biochemical marker of the disease.

Concentration of chosen oxycholesterols in plasma of pregnant women with pregnancy‐induced hypertension

“…In the case of the group of pregnant women with PIH a statistically significant (p < 0.05) increase of total cholesterol concentration was found in comparison with the control group. This is consistent with the data published by Anceschi et al (1992), among others, who found a total cholesterol concentration increase and an increase of cholesterol/phospholipid ratio in the women with pregnancy-induced hypertension. Van den Elzen et al (1996) found a close relation between gestosis development and a total cholesterol level increase and HDL-cholesterol increase.…”

Effect of high blood pressure on thyroid and lipid profile of pregnant women

“…23 Increased cholesterol/ phospholipid ratio of the erythrocyte membrane in women with pregnancy induced hypertension has been observed in studies. 24 The association of abnormal lipid values in the promotion of hypertension in pregnant women helps to investigate the underlying pathological process of hypertension in pregnancy.…”

Total Erythrocyte Membrane Cholesterol

“…Erythrocyte aggregability increases in myocardial infarction, angina, inflammation, diabetes, hypertension, and stroke; adherence to endothelial cells increases in inflammation diabetes and stroke; deformability decreases in infarction, angina, inflammation, diabetes, hypertension, and stroke (26). Cholesterol erythrocyte membrane is a dynamic component of the erythrocyte membrane lipids that is subject to modifications associated with a variety of physiological, pathological, and pharmacologic conditions: it has been reported to increase with age (27), chronic alcohol assumption (28), obesity in women (29), pregnancyinduced hypertension (30), and after cyclosporine A administration (31). Cholesterol erythrocyte membrane decreases after exercise (32), in nephrotic syndrome (33), rheumatoid arthritis (34), and cerebral hemorrhage (35).…”