Why was therapy with these antioxidant vitamins not successful in altering the outcome of hypertension in pregnancy in our study or in previous studies? It is, of course, possible that although oxidative stress is present in preeclampsia,it is not important in the pathophysiology of the condition.
Alternatively, oxidative stress may be relevant to pathogenesis in only a subgroup of women, with no appreciable benefit of antioxidants for the overall population.
It has been suggested,in relation to other trials, that the women may already have had adequate concentrations of vitamins C and E before therapy.