Serum homocysteine at 16 weeks and subsequent preeclampsia.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether elevated homocysteine levels precede the development of preeclampsia.


METHODS
Study subjects were selected from a population-based cohort of 1049 nulliparous women from whom serum was collected for Down syndrome screening at 16 weeks' gestation. For 34 women who developed preeclampsia, 68 control women were chosen who remained normotensive. Homocysteine was analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography and fluorescence detection. The sample size allowed detection of a 1.25-micromol/L difference at a significance level of 0.05 and the power of 0.81.


RESULTS
At 16 weeks' gestation, concentrations (mean, 95% confidence interval) of homocysteine in women who developed preeclampsia, 6.99 (6.42, 7.55) micromol/L, were similar to those who remained normotensive, 6.91 (6.45, 7.34) micromol/L.


CONCLUSIONS
Significant changes in homocysteine metabolism did not predate the appearance of clinical preeclampsia.
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland.
R
R
Hietala
U
U
Turpeinen
T
T
Laatikainen
D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second
D006710:Homocysteine