[Antioxidative enzymes in red blood cells in women with late gestosis]

The authors investigated a group of 30 pregnant women with severe late gestosis and focused attention on assessment of the glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and catalase activity in red blood cells of these patients. They found a statistically significant decline of G6PD activity in red blood cells, as compared with controls, i.e. healthy pregnant women. The decline of catalase activity is smaller and not statistically significant. Based on the assembled results they assume that the equilibrium between oxidation processes and anti-oxidation protection of red blood cells is impaired and this has an impact on their functional capacity and may play an important role in the development of various pathological conditions during pregnancy, incl. late gestosis.