The role of urinary calcium, magnesium, phosphate and creatinine as possible predictors of pre-eclampsia in Trinidadian parturients - abstract

ABSTRACT

One hundred pregnant women between 24 and 28 weeks' gestation attending the antenatal clinic at the Mount Hope Women's Hospital and the Port-of-Spain General Hospital were admitted to the study. Women with a history of evidence of renal disease, diabetes chronic hypertension, cardiovascular disease, proteinuria or any other chronic medical illness were excluded. Urine and blood samples were collected at the first and each subsequent visit and bi-weekly if the subject was hospitalised. The urinary and serum concentrations of total calcium, magnesium and phosphate were measured by atomic absorption spectrometry. After delivery, the patients' notes were analysed to determine the development of pre-elcampsia (PE). The purpose of the study was to evaluate urinary calcium, magnesium and phosphate as early predictors of PE. Eight women satisfied the criteria for PE and differed from the 92 normotensives as shown (Table). Urinary calcium and magnesium and birthweight were significantly lower in PE as compared to normal pregnant women. The gestational age, urinary phosphate and serum values were no different in the two groups (AU)