Uric acid concentrations are associated with insulin resistance and birthweight in normotensive pregnant women.
OBJECTIVE
We sought to investigate whether uric acid concentrations are increased in pregnant women with insulin resistance and to correlate both with fetal growth.


METHODS
Uric acid, glucose, and insulin were measured in plasma at 20.4 (+/-2.0) weeks' gestation in 263 women. The association between uric acid and insulin resistance, as estimated using the homeostasis model assessment (HOMA), was analyzed and related to birthweights.


RESULTS
In 212 (80.6%) women who remained normotensive throughout pregnancy, HOMA increased 1.23 U per 1-mg/dL increase in uric acid (95% confidence interval, 1.07-1.42; P=.003). Infants born to normotensive women in the upper quartile of uric acid and lowest HOMA quartile weighed 435.6 g less than infants of women with highest uric acid and HOMA quartiles (P<.005).


CONCLUSIONS
Increasing uric acid concentrations were associated with insulin resistance in midpregnancy. Hyperuricemia was associated with lower birthweight in normotensive women, and this effect was attenuated by insulin resistance.
Laughon
S Katherine
SK
Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Services, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA. laugsk@gmail.com
Catov
Janet
J
Roberts
James M
JM
D000328:Adult; D001724:Birth Weight; D001786:Blood Glucose; D005260:Female; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D046110:Hypertension, Pregnancy-Induced / Q000097:blood*; D033461:Hyperuricemia / Q000097:blood*; D007333:Insulin Resistance / Q000502:physiology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D014527:Uric Acid / Q000097:blood*; D055815:Young Adult
D001786:Blood Glucose; D014527:Uric Acid