Magnesium, zinc and iron levels in pre-eclampsia.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the change in erythrocyte and plasma magnesium, plasma zinc and serum iron concentrations in pre-eclampsia. METHODS: Twenty women with pre-eclampsia and 20 control subjects matched for gestational age were examined. The levels of magnesium, zinc and iron in all subjects were measured by flame atomic absorption spectrometry. In the pre-eclamptic women, who were supplemented with magnesium salts, these measurements were repeated after delivery. RESULTS: The intraerythrocytic magnesium levels before supplementation were significantly lower in the pre-eclamptic patients than in the healthy pregnant women (0.98 +/- 0.15 vs. 1.35 +/- 0.30 mmol/l; p < 0.001) and increased (to 1.25 +/- 0.25 mmol/l) after treatment with magnesium. The plasma magnesium and zinc, and the serum iron concentrations were not significantly different between the pre-eclamptic and the healthy pregnant women. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that low cellular magnesium levels in women with pre-eclampsia may contribute to the development of hypertension in these patients, and that the measurements of plasma zinc and serum iron concentrations are of doubtful clinical value in the management of pre-eclampsia.

The levels of lipids, lipoproteins and apolipoproteins in healthy people in the central region of the Black Sea.

Lipids, lipoproteins and apolipoproteins are among the risk factors for the most serious health problem of the age--coronary artery disease (CAD). They vary from country to country, from area to area within a country, depending on genetic, environmental, dietary and many other factors. Our aim was to determine the levels of lipids, lipoproteins and apolipoproteins in healthy people in the central Black Sea region of Turkey. Subjects included 1348 volunteers (682 women, 666 men) referred to the Medical Faculty hospital from the study area. The population consisted of healthy people or those whose disease was not affecting the metabolism of lipids. Cholesterol, triglyceride and HDL-cholesterol levels in the obtained serum samples were measured spectrophotometrically, while apolipoprotein A-I, apolipoprotein B, apolipoprotein E and lipoprotein(a) levels were measured nephelometrically. The levels of lipid parameters were as follows: total cholesterol for men was 4.22 +/- 1.00 mmol/l (mean arithmetic +/- SD), triglyceride 1.20 mmol/l (0.30-4.44) [geometric mean (range)], HDL-cholesterol 0.88 +/- 0.22 mmol/l, LDL-cholesterol 2.69 +/- 0.85 mmol/l, apolipoprotein A-I 1.26 +/- 0.22 mmol/l apolipoprotein B 1.12 +/- 0.32 mmol/l, apolipoprotein E 0.037 +/- 0.012 mmol/l and lipoprotein(a) 0.25 g/l (0.03-2.75); total cholesterol for women was 4.53 +/- 1.00 mmol/l, triglyceride 1.05 mmol/l (0.28-4.50), HDL-cholesterol 1.08 +/- 0.26 mmol/l, LDL-cholesterol 2.87 +/- 0.88 mmol/l, apolipoprotein A-I 1.45 +/- 0.25 mmol/l, apolipoprotein B 1.11 +/- 0.31 mmol/l, apolipoprotein E 0.039 +/- 0.011 mmol/l and lipoprotein(a) 0.22 g/l (0.03 2.16). In conclusion, our study in four different regions in Turkey reflected that the people living in the central Black Sea region are less vulnerable to the risk of CAD, although at a relatively higher risk compared to some other countries.