Reported calcium intake is reduced in women with preeclampsia.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this trial is to investigate the relationship between dietary calcium content and incidence of preeclampsia, comparing diet calcium content in normotensive and preeclampsia patients. Dietary calcium was measured by a dietary interview conducted at the day after delivery.


METHODS
This is a prospective cross-sectional study involving 1092 patients who delivered at Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre - Brazil.


RESULTS
The average diet calcium content in the studied population was 1038 mg. The average calcium intake in the normotensive group was 1057 mg, in chronic hypertension group was 962 mg, in transient hypertension group was 963 mg, in mild preeclampsia was 902 mg and in severe preeclampsia group was 755 mg. The results of this study show that pregnant women who develop severe preeclampsia have a significant lower diet calcium intake when compared to normotensive women (P = 0.018).


CONCLUSIONS
The results of the present study can provide the foundations for prospective trials, including randomised clinical trials involving only patients with a low content of calcium in their diet.
Ramos
José Geraldo Lopes
JG
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, of Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil. ramosjg@terra.com.br
Brietzke
Elisa
E
Martins-Costa
Sérgio H
SH
Vettorazzi-Stuczynski
Janete
J
Barros
Elvino
E
Carvalho
Clarissa
C
D002118:Calcium / Q000172:deficiency; D002136:Calcium, Dietary; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004032:Diet; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D046110:Hypertension, Pregnancy-Induced / Q000378:metabolism; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000378:metabolism*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011446:Prospective Studies
D002136:Calcium, Dietary; D002118:Calcium