Korean J Obstet Gynecol.
2003 Feb;46(2):394-402.
The Effect of Hyperhomocysteinemia on the Preeclampsia
- Affiliations
-
- 1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ewha Womans University, Korea.
- 2Ewha Medical Research Center, Ewha Womans University, Korea.
- 3Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Medicine, Ewha Womans University, Korea.
- 4Department of Food and Nutritional Science, Ewha Womans University, Korea.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was, at the time of delivery, to determine if an elevated plasma homocysteine level is associated with the development of preeclampsia and to investigate whether 677 (C->T) polymorphism in the 5, 10-methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene, folate status and vitamin B12 levels are risk factors for the development of preeclampsia for Korean pregnant women.
METHODS
DNA was extracted from whole blood of 191 healthy pregnant women and 84 preeclampsia patients. All samples were genotyped for the 677 (C->T) polymorphism in MTHFR gene by polymerase chain reaction (PCR-RELP). Serum levels of homocysteine, folate, and vitamin B12 were measured by high preformance liquid chromatography for homocysteine, and radioassay for folate and vitamin B12.
RESULTS
Women with severe preeclampsia showed higher concentrations of serum homocysteine (10.5 micro mol/L) than healthy pregnant women (8.46 micro mol/L) and women with mild preeclampsia (8.24 micro mol/L) (p=0.09). For serum folate levels, women with severe (12.7 ng/ml) or mild (13.2 ng/ml) preeclampsia showed increased level compare to healthy pregnant women (9.23 ng/ml) (p=0.0046). Increased homocysteine level (>14 micro mol/L) was associated with preeclampsia (odds ratio=2.86, 95% confidence intervals: 1.27-6.45).
CONCLUSION
These results are suggesting that hyperhomocysteinemia in pregnancy could be a risk factor of preeclampsia. Preeclampsia patients with higher serum folate level are speculated to represent a compensatory response to oxidative stress.
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