PLASMA PEROXYL RADICAL-TRAPPING CAPACITY IN SEVERE PREECLAMPSIA IS STRONGLY RELATED TO URIC-ACID

The total peroxyl radical-trapping antioxidant parameter (TRAP) of plasma from nine patients suffering from severe preeclampsia was compared with that from nine control patients sharing the same weeks of pregnancy. Measurement of TRAP was by a new chemiluminescent method. The mean TRAP in preeclamptic patients was 1288 +/- 110 mumol/l and in control patients 970 +/- 153 mumol/l (p<0.001). TRAP was highly correlated with plasma uric acid (r=0.86), and 91% of the increase in TRAP was due to increase in uric acid, which raises a question of the possible antioxidative role of uric acid in preeclampsia.