Increased MMA concentration and body mass index are associated with spontaneous abortion in Brazilian women A pilot study

Author(s)

Guerra-Shinohara, Elvira M. ^[1] ; Pereira, Perla M. ^[1] ; Kubota, Ananka M. ^[1] ; Silva, Thaiomara A. ^[1] ; Reis, Jucilene L. ^[1] ; Miyashita, Gerson S. ^[1] ; D'Almeida, Vania ^[2] ; Allen, Robert H. ^[3] ; Stabler, Sally P. ^[3]

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Fac Pharmaceut Sci, Dept Clin Chem & Toxicol, BR-05508900 Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[2] Univ Fed Sao Paulo, Dept Biosci, Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[3] Univ Colorado, Hlth Sci Ctr, Dept Med, Denver, CO 80262 - USA

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: Clinica Chimica Acta; v. 411, n. 5-6, p. 423-427, MAR 2 2010.
• Web of Science Citations: 5

Abstract

Background: The pathophysiology of spontaneous abortion is complex and may involve the interaction of genetic and environmental factors. We evaluated the predictors of spontaneous abortion in Brazilian pregnant women. The effects of age, gestational age. body mass index (BMI), cigarette smoking, alcohol ingestion, use of multivitamins and concentrations of vitamins (folate, cobalamin and vitamin 136) and vitamin-dependent metabolites were analyzed. Methods: Study population included 100 healthy women that attended pre-natal care in 2 health centers of Sao Paulo, Brazil, and in whom pregnancy outcome was known. Folate and cobalamin status was measured in blood specimens collected between 4 and 16 weeks. The genotypes for 8 gene polymorphisms were evaluated by PCR-RFLP. Results: Eighty-eight women had normal pregnancy outcome (Group 1), while 12 experienced a miscarriage after blood collection (Group 2). Increased methylmalonic acid (MMA) concentrations were found in Group 2 (median {[}25th-75th percentile]=274 {[}149-425] nmol/l) relative to Group 1 (138 {[}98-185]) (P<0.01). No differences between the groups were observed for serum cobalamin, serum or red cell folate, and serum total homocysteine or allele frequencies for 8 polymorphisms. In a conditional logistic regression analysis including age, gestational age, serum creatinine, MMA, cystathionine, body mass index (BMI), cigarette smoking, alcohol ingestion and use of multivitamins the risk of abortion was significantly associated with MMA (OR {[}95% CI] = 3.80 {[}1.36, 10.62] per quartile increase in MMA), BMI (OR {[}95% CI] = 5.49 {[}1.29,23.39] per quartile) and gestational age (OR {[}95% CI] = 0.10 {[}0.01, 0.77] per increase of interval in gestational age). Conclusions: Increased serum MMA and BMI concentrations are associated with spontaneous abortion in Brazilian women. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 06/06406-5 - DNA methylation index throughout pregnancy: evaluation of genetic and nutritional determinants
• Grantee: Elvira Maria Guerra Shinohara
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants