MATERNAL SERUM HOMOCYSTEINE LEVELS IN PREECLAMPTIC WOMEN AND NORMAL CONTROLS: ASSOCIATION WITH THE SEVERITY OF THE DISEASE

Abstract

AIM: The aim of this study was to examine maternal serum levels of homocysteine
in preeclamptic women and normal pregnant women as well as its association with
the severity of the disease.
MATERIALS AND METHOD: This study was conducted at the Department of
Obstetrics and Gynaecology of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin
City, Edo State. This was a prospective case control study to examine maternal
serum levels of homocysteine in preeclamptic women and normal pregnant women
as well as its association with the severity of the disease. The study population
included all pregnant patients with singleton pregnancy from 24 weeks gestation
admitted for preeclampsia except those in the exclusion criteria. The control group
was women with uncomplicated pregnancy matched for gestational age. All
pregnant women in the control group had a singleton pregnancy. They were also
normotensive and non proteinuric throughout pregnancy. The generated database
was analyzed using the SPSS version 17. Categorical variables were expressed as
absolute numbers and percentages and the differences in proportion were be
analyzed using the Chi square test or Fisher exact test where appropriate.
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Continuous variables were presented as means with standard deviations and the
differences were analyzed with the t test. The level of significance was set as p < 0.05.
RESULTS
A total of 72 patients were included in this study.This consisted of 36 normal
pregnant women (control group) and 36 pregnant women with preeclampsia (11
mild preeclampsia, and 25 severe preeclampsia). The mean homocysteine level was
higher in the preeclamptic group (12.85 ± 1.53 µmol/l) as compared with the normal
pregnant group (7.26 ± 1.41 µmol/l). This difference was statistically significant (p =
0.003). The mean homocysteine level was higher in the mild preeclamptic group
(9.40 ± 2.2 µmol/l) as compared with the normal pregnant group (7.26 ± 1.41 µmol/l).
However, this difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.08). The mean
homocysteine level was higher in the severe preeclamptic group (15.62 ± 2.57 µmol/l)
as compared with the normal pregnant group (7.26 ± 1.41 µmol/l). This difference
was statistically significant (p = 0.0013). The mean homocysteine level was higher in
the severe preeclamptic group (15.62 ± 2.57 µmol/l) as compared with the mild
preeclamptic group (9.40 ± 2.2 µmol/l). This difference was statistically significant (p
= 0.0022).
CONCLUSION
This study showed statistically significantant higher serum homocysteine
concentration in preeclampsia than in normal normotensive pregnant women. There
was also a correlation between homocysteine levels and the severity of preeclampsia.

MATERNAL SERUM HOMOCYSTEINE LEVELS IN PREECLAMPTIC WOMEN AND NORMAL CONTROLS: ASSOCIATION WITH THE SEVERITY OF THE DISEASE