Serum homocyst(e)ine levels in women with preeclampsia

Background: Endothelial dysfunction has been described as the final common pathophysiological pathway in the development of preeclampsia. Since it has been suggested that homocyst(e)ine damages endothelial cells, we measured serum homocyst(e)ine levels in women with preeclampsia and in healthy pregn ant women in order to find a new prognostic parameter for women with preecl ampsia. Methods. Forty-five women with preeclampsia and 45 healthy women with uncom plicated pregnancies, matched for age and parity, were entered into the stu dy. Serum homocyst(e)ine levels were measured by gas chromatography-mass sp ectrometry analysis and correlated to clinical data. Logistic regression mo dels were used to analyse the influence of serum homocyst(e)ine levels on t he presence of preeclampsia versus healthy pregnant women and on the risk o f premature termination of pregnancy due to preeclampsia. Results: Median serum homocyst(e)ine levels in women with preeclampsia and healthy pregnant women were 14.2 (range 5.7-38.1) mu mol/L and 15.1 (range 5.2-23.1) mu mol/L, respectively (Mann-Whitney U-test, p = 0.8). In univari ate logistic regression models, serum homocyst(e)ine levels had no signific ant influence on the odds of presenting with preeclampsia versus healthy pr egnant women (univariate logistic regression model, p = 0.8) and on the odd s of premature termination of pregnancy due to preeclampsia (univariate log istic regression model, p = 0.3). Conclusions: Serum homocyst(e)ine levels are not elevated in women with pre eclampsia and are not associated with clinical outcome in women with preecl ampsia.