Vitamin and homocysteine status of mothers and infants and the risk of nonsyndromic orofacial clefts.
OBJECTIVE
This study was undertaken to investigate the involvement of maternal and infant B vitamins and homocysteine as risk factors for orofacial clefting.


METHODS
Venous blood samples were taken from 96 infants with nonsyndromic orofacial clefts and 88 infants without a congenital malformation and from their mothers at approximately 14 months after the index pregnancy. Red blood cell and serum folate, serum vitamin B(12), whole blood vitamin B(6) as pyridoxal-5'-phosphate (PLP), and plasma homocysteine concentrations were measured.


RESULTS
A vitamin B(12) concentration of 185 pmol/L or less and a PLP concentration of 44 nmol/L or less in mothers increased the risk of having a child with an orofacial cleft (odds ratio [OR]=3.1; 95% CI: 1.3-7.4, OR=2.9; 95% CI: 1.2-7.1, respectively). Infants with orofacial clefts had a 15% lower serum folate concentration compared with controls (P=.06).


CONCLUSIONS
A low vitamin B(12) and PLP concentration in mothers increased the risk of orofacial clefts in the offspring. A possible role of the infant's folate status is suggested.
van Rooij
Iris A L M
IA
Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University Medical Center Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
Swinkels
Dorine W
DW
Blom
Henk J
HJ
Merkus
Hans M W M
HM
Steegers-Theunissen
Régine P M
RP
D002971:Cleft Lip / Q000209:etiology*; D002972:Cleft Palate / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000097:blood; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D009035:Mothers; D011732:Pyridoxal Phosphate / Q000097:blood; D012307:Risk Factors; D014805:Vitamin B 12 / Q000097:blood*; D025101:Vitamin B 6 / Q000097:blood*
D006710:Homocysteine; D011732:Pyridoxal Phosphate; D025101:Vitamin B 6; D005492:Folic Acid; D014805:Vitamin B 12