ASSOCIATION OF SERUM HOMOCYSTEINE LEVELS WITH PREECLAMPSIA AND ITS RELATED COMPLICATIONS

Preeclempsia is a syndrome characterized by onset of hypertension and proteinuria following the 20 th week of gestation. It has significant health outcomes and increases the maternal and perinatal mortality rate. Homocysteine is a non+protein amino acid derived from cysteine. Plasma total homocysteine levels depend on many physiological, pathological and genetic determinants. Preeclampsia is said to be associated with hyperhomocystenemia. The present study was planned to assess the association of preeclampsia and its related complications with serum homocysteine levels. 60 antenatal females identified with Preeclampsia were selected for the study. Hemoglobin and serum homocysteine were estimated. The selected females were grouped on the basis of severity of preeclampsia and proteinuria and presence or absence of intra uterine growth retardation (IUGR). The values for each subgroup were indicated as mean + SD and statistically compared by applying ‘t’+test. The mean homocysteine levels were observed to be higher than the normal reference range. Further, elevated homocysteine levels were observed in females with severe preeclampsia and uncontrolled proteinuria. The presence or absence of IUGR, however, did not show any significant variation. The fall in the hemoglobin levels with increased homocysteine further confirmed its association with endothelial and vascular damage. The study concluded that hyperhomocysteinemia can serve as a significant marker for screening of preeclampsia and its related complications in the early second trimester and can be helpful in proper antenatal and fetal care and patient management.