Amniotic fluid glycine-valine ratio and neonatal morbidity in fetal growth restriction.
OBJECTIVE
To test the hypothesis that an elevated amniotic fluid glycine-valine ratio predicts neonatal morbidity in growth-restricted newborns.


METHODS
Amniotic fluid (AF) was collected from 122 third-trimester pregnancies (range 31-39 weeks), 49 of which were complicated by fetal growth restriction. Amino acid analysis was performed by high-pressure liquid chromatography. Glycine-valine ratios were compared between normal and growth-restricted fetuses. Neonatal morbidity within the group of growth-restricted fetuses was characterized by evaluation of neonatal hypoglycemia, arterial cord blood gas analysis, and birth weight percentile. We also examined the correlation of AF glycine-valine ratio to the umbilical artery resistance index. The median interval between AF sampling and delivery was 1 day (range 0-8 days). Analyses were performed by Student t test, chi 2 with Yates correction, or simple correlation when appropriate. P < .05 was considered significant.


RESULTS
Growth-restricted fetuses have a significantly elevated AF glycine-valine ratio compared with control subjects (3.31 +/- 1.06 versus 2.61 +/- 0.77, respectively, P < .001). There was no association of the glycine-valine ratio with gestational age for either group. An elevated glycine-valine ratio was not associated with neonatal hypoglycemia within the growth-restricted group (hypoglycemia: [n = 16] 3.19 +/- 1.07; no hypoglycemia: (n = 30) 3.44 +/- 1.09). There were no significant correlations of glycine-valine ratio with arterial cord blood pH (r = -0.10), oxygen pressure (r = 0.04), or base deficit (r = 0.12). There were no significant correlations of glycine-valine ratio and birth weight percentile (r = -.24) or umbilical artery resistance index (r = -.14).


CONCLUSIONS
Amniotic fluid glycine-valine ratio is elevated in growth-restricted fetuses compared with control fetuses. However, the level of glycine-valine elevation is not associated with neonatal morbidity related to hypoglycemia, arterial cord blood gas abnormalities, or birth weight percentile.
Bernstein
I M
IM
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Vermont College of Medicine, Burlington, USA. ibernste@zoo.uvm.edu
Silver
R
R
Nair
K S
KS
Stirewalt
W S
WS
D000328:Adult; D000653:Amniotic Fluid / Q000737:chemistry*; D001724:Birth Weight; D001784:Blood Gas Analysis; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000737:chemistry; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications*; D005998:Glycine / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007003:Hypoglycemia / Q000097:blood; D009017:Morbidity; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011247:Pregnancy; D011263:Pregnancy Trimester, Third; D014633:Valine / Q000378:metabolism*
D014633:Valine; D005998:Glycine