[Interactions between markers of endothelial damage (homocysteine and asymmetric dimethylarginine) and antioxidants and B-vitamins in preeclamptic women].
BACKGROUND
Preeclampsia is a pregnancy-related pathological condition triggered by an abnormal placentation which produces endothelial dysfunction (ED). ED, in turn, is associated with an increase in homocysteine (hcy) and asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA); these molecules are also increased when some of the B-vitamins are deficient. It is unclear whether increases in hcy and ADMA during preeclampsia are the result of ED, or the consequence of a B-vitamin deficiency.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate hcy, ADMA, folic acid (FA), vitamin B6 and B2 concentrations in patients with preeclampsia.


METHODS
In a cross-sectional design 19 patients with severe preeclamp- sia (preeclampsia) and 57 with normal pregnancy (no-preeclampsia), paired by gestational age and body mass index, were studied. Plasma hcy, ADMA, FA and vitamins B6 and B12 were determined. Non-parametric statistics was used for between-groups comparisons and regression analyses to evaluate interactions among molecules.


RESULTS
72% of women were vitamin B deficient, 40% were deficient of B12 and 4% of FA. Preeclamptic patients presented hcy and ADMA concentrations higher than no-preeclamptic ones. Inferential analyses demonstrated that: hcy and ADMA are increased during preeclampsia independently from vitamins blood concentration; that the risk for pre- eclampsia is associated with high hcy but not with vitamins deficiency; and that the ratio L-arginine:ADMA decreases the preeclampsia risk.


CONCLUSIONS
In patients with preeclampsia, increases of hcy and ADMA are associated with ED, but not with deficiency of the vitamins involved in their metabolism.
Mardia
M
López-Alarcón
Victor Saúl
VS
Vital-Reyes
Irene
I
Montalvo-Velarde
Juan Carlos
JC
Hinojosa-Cruz
Edgardo
E
Puellotamara
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism; D001120:Arginine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012044:Regression Analysis; D014803:Vitamin B Complex / Q000097:blood*; D014804:Vitamin B Deficiency / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
D000975:Antioxidants; D015415:Biomarkers; D006710:Homocysteine; D014803:Vitamin B Complex; C018524:N,N-dimethylarginine; D001120:Arginine