Serum triglyceride and cholesterol levels in pregnant malarial patients in Lagos Nigeria. – O.G . Raimi, B. O. Elemo and H.Y. Nesiru
ABSTRACT
Fifty pregnant women were recruited for this study out of which twenty-seven were positive to and show symptoms of malaria while twenty-three were negative and do not show symptoms of malaria. The mean concentration of triglycerides was found to be 129 ± 41.77 mg/dl and 107.78 ± 29.75 mg/dl in pregnant malarial patients (PMP) and pregnant non-malarial patients (PNMP) respectively. The mean concentration of cholesterol was found to be 157±51.15 mg/dl and 119.87 ± 32.89 mg/dl in PMP and PNMP respectively. The results show an association between levels of TAG and cholesterol and malaria in pregnancy. There was a significant difference in the mean levels of cholesterol between PMP and PNMP at P < 0.01. There was also a significant difference in the mean concentration of TAG and cholesterol between the first and second trimester of pregnancy in PMP while at the third trimester a significant increase in the levels of TAG and cholesterol was observed.