Asymptomatic malaria parasitemia does not induce additional oxidative stress in pregnant women of South East Nigeria

• Published in: Asian Pacific journal of tropical medicine Vol. 4; no. 3; p. 229
• Main Authors: Nwagha, Uchenna Ifeanyi, Okeke, Tochukwu Christopher, Nwagha, Theresa Ukamaka, Ejezie, Fidelis Ebele, Ogbodo, Sylvester Ogbonna, Dim, Cyril Chukwudi, Anyaehie, Bond Ugochukwu
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: India 01-03-2011
• Subjects: Adult; Asymptomatic Infections; Blood - parasitology; Blood Chemical Analysis; Cross-Sectional Studies; Female; Humans; Malaria - complications; Malaria - diagnosis; Malaria - parasitology; Nigeria; Oxidative Stress; Parasitemia - complications; Parasitemia - diagnosis; Parasitemia - parasitology; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Complications, Infectious - diagnosis; Pregnancy Complications, Infectious - parasitology; Nigeria
• ISSN: 2352-4146
• DOI: 10.1016/S1995-7645(11)60076-X

To determine the relationship between asymptomatic malaria parasitemia and some oxidative stress parameters in pregnant Nigerian women.
This is a cross-sectional study involving 130 normal pregnant women at various trimesters, who were attending antenatal clinic at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH) and Kenechukwu Specialist Hospital in Enugu. A comparable group (control), made of 30 non pregnant women was also recruited. After a 24 hour dietary recall, serum levels of vitamin A, C and malondialdehyde (MDA) were determined by colorimetric method, while vitamin E was determined by absorptiometric method.
There were no statistically significant differences in age, parity, estimated calorie, vitamins A, C and E intake between the pregnant and non pregnant groups (P> 0.05). The serum level of the vitamins (umol/L) and MDA (umol/L) in control, 1st, 2nd and 3rd trimesters respectively were: (1)Vitamin A: 1.6±0.36 vs 0.6±0.26 vs 0.62± 0.33 vs 0.46± 0.21 (P < 0.0001); (2) Vitamin C: 75.65±14.15 vs 62.97±24.4 vs 37.85±15.19 vs 28.94±8.52 (P<0.0001); (3) Vitamin E: 3.01± 1.32 vs 3.45±2.01 vs 9.36±2.75 vs 9.82±2.97 (P<0.0001); (4) MDA: 1.42± 0.02 vs 1.61±0.02 vs 1.79±0.02 vs 2.03±0.05 (P<0.0001). However, there were no significant changes in the serum level of the vitamins and MDA between the positive and the negative parasitemia subjects (P>0.05).
Asymptomatic malaria parasitemia does not induce additional oxidative stress on pregnant women in Nigeria. The enormity of acute and complicated attack should be further investigated.