title: Effects of folic acid supplementation on serum homocysteine and lipoprotein (a) levels during pregnancy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There are many ideas concerning the etiology and pathogenesis of preeclampsia including endothelial dysfunction, inflammation and angiogenesis. Elevated levels of total homocysteine (Hcy) and lipoprotein (a) [Lp(a)] are risk factors for endothelial dysfunction. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of high dose folic acid (FA) on serum Hcy and Lp(a) concentrations with respect to methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) polymorphisms 677C→T during pregnancy.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a prospective uncontrolled intervention, 90 pregnant women received 5 mg FA supplementation before pregnancy till 36th week of pregnancy. The MTHFR polymorphisms 677C→T, serum lactate dehydrogenase activity, urine protein and creatinine concentrations were measured before starting folic acid administration. Serum levels of Hcy and Lp(a) were determined before and after completion of folic acid supplementation period.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Supplementation of the patients with FA for 36 week decreased the median (minimum- maximum) levels of serum Hcy from 11.40 μmol/L (4.40-28.70) to 9.70 (1.60-20.80) μmol/L (p=0.001). There was no significant change in serum Lp(a) after FA supplementation (p=0.17). The overall prevalence of genotypes in pregnant women that were under study for MTHFR C677T polymorphism was 53.3% CC, 26.7% CT and 20.0% TT. There was no correlation between decreasing level of serum Hcy in the patients receiving FA and MTHFR polymorphisms.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although FA supplementation decreased serum levels of Hcy in different MTHFR genotypes, serum Lp(a) was not changed by FA supplements. Our data suggests that FA supplementation effects on serum Hcy is MTHFR genotype independent in pregnant women.
authors.affiliation: Department of clinical biochemistry and laboratory medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Zohreh
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Hekmati Azar Mehrabani
authors.affiliation: Drug Applied Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Amir
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ghorbanihaghjo
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Alzahra Teaching Hospital, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Manizheh
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sayyah Melli
authors.affiliation: Biotechnology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Maryam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hamzeh-Mivehroud
authors.affiliation: Department of clinical biochemistry and laboratory medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Nazila
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Fathi Maroufi
authors.affiliation: Biotechnology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Nasrin
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bargahi
authors.affiliation: Drug Applied Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Maryam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bannazadeh Amirkhiz
authors.affiliation: Drug Applied Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Nadereh
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Rashtchizadeh
keywords: Folic acid; Homocysteine; Lipoprotein (a); MTHFR polymorphism; Pregnancy