Selenium and Glutathione Levels in Pregnant Women With and Without Preeclampsia: A Cross-sectional Comparative Study in Ibadan, Nigeria

Abstract Background Preeclampsia is a major cause of maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality worldwide, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Oxidative stress plays a significant role in its pathogenesis. Selenium and glutathione are important antioxidants that mitigate oxidative stress, but previous studies have reported conflicting findings regarding their levels in preeclamptic women. Objective This study aimed to determine and compare serum selenium and glutathione levels among women with preeclampsia, normotensive pregnant women, and normotensive non-pregnant women in Ibadan, Nigeria. Methods This comparative cross-sectional study was conducted at the University College Hospital and Adeoyo Maternity Teaching Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria, between 2019 and 2020. Participants included women with antepartum preeclampsia, normotensive pregnant women, and normotensive non-pregnant fertile women. Blood samples were collected for selenium assay using atomic absorption spectrophotometry and glutathione determination using Owen’s method modified by Owen and Butterfield. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 23. Descriptive statistics and analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used, with statistical significance set at p < 0.05. Results The mean serum selenium levels among preeclamptic women, normotensive pregnant women, and normotensive non-pregnant women were 70.93 ± 22.56 µg/dl, 54.56 ± 12.42 µg/dl, and 57.40 ± 11.51 µg/dl, respectively (p < 0.001). Mean glutathione levels were 2.592 ± 0.263 µmol/L, 2.395 ± 0.324 µmol/L, and 2.742 ± 0.139 µmol/L, respectively (p < 0.001). Selenium levels increased with gestational age among women with preeclampsia, although this trend did not reach statistical significance. Conclusion Contrary to previous reports suggesting antioxidant depletion in preeclampsia, this study found significantly higher selenium and glutathione levels in preeclamptic women. These findings may suggest a transient adaptive antioxidant response to oxidative stress in preeclampsia. Further longitudinal studies are needed to clarify these findings.