Paired maternal and umbilical cord serum cholesterol and triglyceride levels in Jamaicans: normal values and the influence of some perinatal factors

ABSTRACT

Serum total cholesterol (TCHO) and tryglyceride (TG) levels were determined in paired maternal and umbilical cord serum from 120 full-term deliveries at the University Hospital of the West Indies. The median cord serum TG level was found toPbe 0.74 mmol/l, which is much higher than the levels of 0.34-0.52 mmol/l in the studies reprted so far. On the other hand, cord serum TCHO levels of 1.91 mmol/l, and maternal TG and TCHO levels of 1.84 mmol/l and 5.60 mmol/l respectively are within the range of values reported in the literature. Cord serum hypertriglyceridaemia was seen in 7 newborns, all of whom had at least one kind of perinatal stress. A significant elevation of cord serum TG was seen in infants who suffered neonatal jaundice. Further studies are needed to confirm our findings to elucidate their significance (AU)