Plasma homocysteine levels elevated and inversely related to insulin sensitivity in preeclampsia.
OBJECTIVE
To study the plasma levels of homocysteine in preeclampsia and relate them to insulin sensitivity.


METHODS
In association with a 3-hour intravenous glucose-tolerance test (glucose 0.3 g/kg at 0 and 0.03 IU insulin 20 minutes later), we measured plasma levels of homocysteine, vitamin B12, and folic acid in 22 women with preeclampsia and 16 controls between 29 and 39 weeks' gestation. In 14 women with preeclampsia and 11 controls, plasma samples also were collected 3 months after delivery.


RESULTS
Levels of homocysteine in women with preeclampsia (6.7 +/- 0.4 micromol/L, mean +/- standard error) were higher (P < .001) than those in controls (3.8 +/- 0.2 micromol/L) and related significantly to the level of proteinuria (r = .49, P = .02). Vitamin B12 concentrations were lower in women with preeclampsia (166.0 +/- 10.4 compared with 212.4 +/- 16.4 pmol/L, P = .02), whereas levels of folic acid showed no difference between the groups. After delivery, levels of homocysteine increased to 9.1 +/- 0.6 and 8.2 +/- 0.6 micromol/L in women with preeclampsia and controls, vitamin B12 increased to 298.8 +/- 28.6 compared with 334.9 +/- 24.0 pmol/l, and folic acid decreased to 10.6 +/- 2.0 compared with 7.9 +/- 0.8 nmol/L, with no difference emerging between the groups. In women with preeclampsia but not in controls, plasma homocysteine was negatively related to insulin sensitivity (r = -.51, P = .02). The mean 2.9-fold increase in glucose or 52.5-fold increase in insulin during the insulin-sensitivity test failed to affect homocysteine levels.


CONCLUSIONS
Women with preeclampsia have high plasma homocysteine levels that are inversely related to insulin sensitivity.
Laivuori
H
H
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Finland. hannele.laivuori@pp.fimnet.fi
Kaaja
R
R
Turpeinen
U
U
Viinikka
L
L
Ylikorkala
O
O
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000097:blood*; D011247:Pregnancy
D006710:Homocysteine