Homocysteine levels in women with antiphospholipid syndrome and normal fertile controls.
OBJECTIVE
Recent studies have identified hyperhomocysteinemia as a risk factor for both recurrent pregnancy loss and thrombosis. Antiphospholipid syndrome, an autoimmune disorder, is also characterized by recurrent pregnancy loss and thrombosis. Thus, our purpose was to determine if hyperhomocysteinemia is more common in patients with APS than normal fertile controls.


METHODS
Plasma, sera and whole blood were obtained from two groups of women: (1) 22 with well-characterized antiphospholipid syndrome; and (2) 41 healthy fertile controls. Levels of fasting homocysteine, vitamin B16, vitamin B12, folate and the incidence of the C677/T mutation of the methylene tetrahydrofolate reductase genotype (C677T/MTHFR) were determined.


RESULTS
The proportion of individuals with hyperhomocysteinemia and fasting plasma homocysteine levels were similar in women with APS and controls. Levels of vitamin B6, vitamin B12, folate and the incidence of C677/MTHFR were also similar in the two groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Hyperhomocyteinemia and the C677T/MTHFR mutation are not common in women with antiphospholipid syndrome. Abnormal homocysteine metabolism is unlikely to play a major role in the pathogenesis of antiphospholipid syndrome.
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Utah School of Medicine, 50 N. Medical Dr. Room 2B200, Salt Lake City, UT 84132, USA.
Richard M
RM
Lee
Melissa A
MA
Brown
Kenneth
K
Ward
Lesa
L
Nelson
D Ware
DW
Branch
Robert M
RM
Silver
D000328:Adult; D016736:Antiphospholipid Syndrome / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D005260:Female; D005298:Fertility / Q000502:physiology; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000097:blood; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D042965:Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase (NADPH2) / Q000235:genetics; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome / Q000453:epidemiology; D025101:Vitamin B 6 / Q000097:blood
D006710:Homocysteine; D025101:Vitamin B 6; D005492:Folic Acid; D042965:Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase (NADPH2)