title: Maternal plasma and amniotic fluid coenzyme Q10 levels in preterm and term gestations: a pilot study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To measure maternal plasma and amniotic fluid coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) levels in preterm and term gestations.
  
  
  METHODS
  This pilot study comprised a convenience sample of 72 women admitted for labor with singleton live gestations and intact membranes (preterm n = 27 and term n = 45).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Median [interquartile range] maternal plasma CoQ10 levels did not differ among the studied women (preterm, 0.47 [0.12] vs. term, 0.47 [0.23] mmol/L, p = 0.90). Overall CoQ10 amniotic fluid levels were nearly tenfold lower than those found in maternal plasma, with a significant lower level observed among those delivering preterm (0.050 [0.05] vs. 0.062 [0.04] mmol/L, p = 0.007). Multiple linear regression analysis controlling for several covariates determined a significant correlation between amniotic fluid CoQ10 levels and neonatal gestational age.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is the first study to assess CoQ10 levels in amniotic fluid during pregnancy in which levels were significantly lower among those delivering preterm. More research is warranted in this regard.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Biomedicina, Universidad Central del Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador. e_teran_uce@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Enrique
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Terán
authors.forename: Marcia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Racines-Orbe
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Toapanta
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Valdivieso
authors.forename: Zulema
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Vega
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vivero
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Moya
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chedraui
authors.forename: Faustino R
authors.initials: FR
authors.lastname: Pérez-López
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000653:Amniotic Fluid / Q000737:chemistry*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D016014:Linear Models; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011247:Pregnancy; D047928:Premature Birth; D012494:Sampling Studies; D047929:Term Birth; D014451:Ubiquinone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D014451:Ubiquinone; D002784:Cholesterol; C024989:coenzyme Q10