Selenium levels, thiobarbituric acid-reactive substance concentrations and glutathione peroxidase activity in the blood of women with gestosis and imminent premature labour.

The aim of the study was to investigate antioxidant status, monitored by selenium and thiobarbituric acid-reactive substance concentrations in blood plasma, and glutathione peroxidase activity in erythrocytes and blood plasma in women with gestosis (n = 26), imminent premature labour (n = 48) and normal pregnancy (n = 23) during 19-38 weeks of pregnancy. Selenium concentrations in blood plasma were significantly higher in women with pathological pregnancies than in normal (45.5 +/- 10.5 micrograms l-1, p < 0.01 and 44.1 +/- 11.6 micrograms l-1, p < 0.05 vs. 38.6 +/- 8.3 micrograms l-1, respectively). In all groups of pregnant women Se concentrations were extremely low as compared with non-pregnant females. Glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity in blood plasma was significantly higher in complicated pregnancies than in healthy ones. There were no significant differences in thiobarbituric acid-reactive substance concentrations between all groups of pregnant women. Statistically significant correlations were found between blood plasma Se concentrations and GSH-Px activity in healthy pregnant (r = 0.53, p < 0.01), imminent premature labour (r = 0.39, p < 0.01), and non-pregnant females (r = 0.56, p < 0.001).