Association of Dyslipidemia with Preeclampsia and Its Severity: A Comparative Cross-Sectional Study

Background: Preeclampsia is a complicated condition that commonly appears after 20 weeks of gestation and is manifested by hypertensive syndrome accompanied by proteinuria. Objective: To determine the association between dyslipidemia and preeclampsia and evaluate its potential role as a predictive marker for earlier diagnosis and therapeutic management. Method: This comparative cross-sectional study was conducted at Gulab Devi Teaching Hospital, Lahore, from June 26, 2024, to December 26, 2024. A total of 60 pregnant women were enrolled, including 30 cases with preeclampsia and 30 normotensive pregnant women as controls. Lipid profile parameters, including total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), LDL-C, and HDL-C, were measured and recorded using a structured questionnaire. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 27.0. An independent sample t-test was applied to compare mean lipid levels between cases and controls to assess the association between dyslipidemia and preeclampsia. Results: Among the 60 pregnant women, the mean ± standard deviation (SD) of triglycerides (TG) was 175.70 ± 23.28 mg/dL in controls and 261.60 ± 84.55 mg/dL in preeclamptic cases. The mean ± SD of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) was 188.10 ± 29.12 mg/dL in controls and 223.50 ± 59.32 mg/dL in cases. Total cholesterol (TC) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) showed no statistically significant difference between the groups. The severity of preeclampsia was also evaluated to assess its relationship with lipid profile parameters. Conclusion: Elevated levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and triglycerides (TG) were observed in women with preeclampsia compared to normotensive pregnant women, while high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and total cholesterol (TC) showed no statistically significant differences between the groups. These findings suggest a possible association between dyslipidemia and preeclampsia; however, preeclampsia is a multifactorial condition, and the role of potential confounding factors should be considered when interpreting the results.