Assessment of Serum Zinc and Copper Levels among Sudanese Pregnant Women with and without Pre-eclampsia

Abstract

Background: Zinc (Zn) and copper (Cu) are very important micronutrients with an interrelation with pathogenesis of preeclampsia.Preeclampsia is a serious medical complication during pregnancy characterized by high blood pressure and proteinuria, and associated with morbidity and mortality rate. Objectives: To assess the levels of serum zinc and copper among preeclampsia and compare to normotensive pregnant women. Methodology: analytical cross sectional hospital based study.Hundred and twenty pregnant women were studied. They were divided into 30 preeclampsia women, 30 normotensive in the first trimester, other 30 normotensive in the second trimester, and also 30normotensivesin the third trimester. Age ranged from 20 and 41years, with an average of 31 years. Normal pregnant women and preeclampsic were referred to Omdurman Maternal Hospital from September to November 2018.The women were studied in their 12 to 38 weeks of pregnancy. Sampling techniques was simple random based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. Blood samples were collected under aseptic conditions and the sera were collected and preserved. Serum zinc and copper were assayed using auto- analyzer (Cobas C311). The analysis of data was done using SPSS program version (21). Results: The results showed that the age distribution as 73 (61%) from 20 to 30 years and 47(39%) from 31to 41 years. The serum zinc was a highly significantly decreased in preeclampsia compared to normal pregnant women (p=0.000) and the levels of serum copper was highly significantly increased in preeclampsia compared to normal pregnant women (p=0.000). There was a negative correlation between serum zinc and copper in preeclampsia (r=-0.655, p=0.000). Conclusion: Preeclamptic pregnants women had significantly decreased serum zinc and increased levels of serum copper, also there was a negative correlation of serum zinc and copper in preeclampsia, so analysis of these trace elements is recommended.