[Effect of perinatal hypoxia on blood triglycerides and total cholesterol including high density lipoproteins]

Cholesterol, low/high density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLc, HDLc), triglycerides and phospholipids plasma concentrations were measured in arterial (UA) and venous (UV) cord blood samples collected at birth in 22 healthy newborn infants (G-I) in 24 intrapartum stressed newborn infants (G-II) and in plasma of their 46 mothers at delivery. Chol was measured by ALLAIN'S, HDLcUA by LOPES-VIRELLA'S (and LDLc by FRIEDEWALD'S formula), TG by HOPPE'S and Ph by TAKAYAMA'S enzymatic methods. TGUA concentrations were higher (p less than 0.01) and HDLc ones lower (p less than 0.005) in G-II than in G-I group. These phenomena were found to be a sign of fetal stress, since there was a significant correlation between TGUA and pHUA (r, -0.42; p less than 0.005) and HDLc and pHUA (r, 0.41; p less than 0.0025). Furthermore, there was a correlation between TGUA HDLUA (r, 0.46; p less than 0.0025). Intrapartum hypoxia has a profound effect on lipid stores of the fetus during delivery. Data suggest that high levels of triglycerides in plasma might fall lecitin cholesterol acid transferase activity and this way to explain lower HDLc concentrations of newborn infants with intrapartum acidosis.