Association of early maternal hypertriglyceridemia with pregnancy-induced hypertension

Hypertensive diseases are directly responsible for 24 % of maternal deaths in India. A screening method is yet to be discovered to reduce the morbidity and mortality related to it. Serum triglyceride (TG) levels are reported to increase in hypertensive pregnant women.

To predict pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH) by serum triglyceride values.

This study is a prospective cohort study that was conducted over three hundred normotensive, primigravida women with singleton pregnancy at 14-20 weeks of gestation. These were divided into two groups on the basis of their TG concentration estimated at 14-20 weeks of gestation. The pregnancy was then followed till delivery and, signs and symptoms of PIH were noted in both the groups.

Out of 300 women, 210 women completed the study. Fifty-nine women developed PIH and 151 women remained normotensive. Among 59 women, 45 women had raised TG values i.e., ≥160 mg/dL and 14 women were with normal TG levels i.e., <160 mg/dL. A significant positive correlation was found between serum TG concentration and systolic and diastolic blood pressure. It was observed that a cutoff of 162.50 mg/dL for TG could reliably predict PIH with sensitivity of 76 % and specificity of 85 %. Also, the mothers with hypertriglyceridemia were found to be at higher risk of developing early-onset PIH.

Our study supports the evidence that early pregnancy hypertriglyceridemia is associated with an increased risk of PIH.