ABSTRACT
Background: Early pregnancy loss is defined as the termination of pregnancy before 20 weeks' gestation or with a fetal weight of <500 g. Of those that are recognized, 15-20% result in spontaneous abortions [SABs] or ectopic pregnancies. Approximately 5% of couples trying to conceive have two consecutive miscarriages, and approximately 1% of couples have three or more consecutive early pregnancy loss. Increased levels of homocysteine may be due to inadequate dietary intake of folate and vitamin B12 and inherited defects within the methionine-hmocysteine pathway such as MTHFR c677T gene polymorphism. Hyperhomocysteinemia is associated with the syndromes of repeated miscarriage
Objective: The aim of the current study is to estimate the serum levels of Homocystine and vitamin B12 and their relation to prevalence of recurrent spontaneous abortion in pregnancies with history of recurrent miscarriage
Subjects and Methods: In this study 80 pregnant women classified into two groups: GroupI:60 consecutive pregnant women who had suffered from two or more miscarriages, and Group II: 20 pregnant women with no history of abortion .The following estimations were done [for each woman in the study]: serum homocysteine and vitaminB12 were estimated using ELISA technique
Results: Results showed a significant increase in serum level of homocysteine in the first group compared to control group[p<0.0001] and a low serum level of vitamin B12 which was significantly decreased in the study group [group 1] compared to control group[p<0.0001]. Moreover, Our results showed a negative correlation between homocysteine and vitamin B12
Conclusion: The elevated serum homocysteine levels during pregnancy were significantly associated with recurrent pregnancy losses. Moreover, reduced serum vitamin B12 level was considered a risk for recurrent miscarriage. Homocysteine is most sensitive and specific parameters in the recurrent pregnancy losses
ABSTRACT
Lead exposure is a well known cause of cardiovascular damage, including atherosclerosis. Paraoxonase 1 [PON1], a high-density lipoprotein-associated antioxidant enzyme, is capable of hydrolyzing oxidized lipids and thus it protects against atherosclerosis. The mechanism by which heavy metals inhibit serum PON1 activity is still not clear. Our aim was to detect the association between lead exposure and serum PON1 activity and lipid profile and also to study the polymorphism of the PON1 gene. A case-control, cross-sectional study conducted from June 2008 until May 2009. Male workers [n=100] in a lead battery manufactory were recruited for this study. They were compared with 100 male age-matched workers not exposed to lead [control group]. Serum lipid profile, paraoxonase activity and lead were measured in blood samples. The DMA was extracted for detecting the Q192R polymorphism of the PON1 gene by polymerase chain reaction followed by restriction fragment length polymorphism. There was significant difference in triglycerides, total cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol [HDL-C] [P=.01,.05 and.04, respectively] between cases and controls. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that blood lead levels were significantly associated with decreased serum paraoxonase activity [P=.03] in lead workers. The paraoxonase genotype QR was the most prevalent in 34/53 subjects [64%] among the leadexposed groups, while the genotype QQ was more prevalent in the control group, in 1 5/25 subjects [60%], with a significant difference between the control and other groups [P<.05]. Lead exposure is associated with increased triglycerides, total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and decreased HDL-C. Because of the protective role of PON1 in the development of atherosclerosis, a decrease in serum PON1 activity due to lead exposure may render individuals more susceptible to atherosclerosis
ABSTRACT
A vast amount of evidence during the past decade, has confirmed that lead is associated with lipid and lipoprotein abnormalities which play a major role in the pathogenesis and progression of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases. This study aimed: to investigate the relationship between chronic occupational lead exposure, lipid profile, and serum PON1 activity as one of the mechanisms of atherosclerosis. Male workers [n=100] in lead battery manufactory were recruited for this study. They were compared with 100 male age matched non-lead workers. Serum lipid profile and paraoxonase activity were done to their samples. Serum Lead was determined vsing atomic absorption spectroscopy. There was significant differences regarding triglycerides, total cholesterol, and HDL- c [p=0.01, 0.05 and 0.04, respectively] between both groups. A cumulative effect of blood lead on lipid profile was significantly detected. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that blood lead level was the only negative significant predictors to serum paraoxonase activity [p=0.03] in lead workers. lead exposure is associated with increased triglycerides, total cholesterol and LDL-c and decrease HDL-c. Because of the protective role of PON1 in the development of atherosclerosis, decrease in serum PON1 activity due to lead exposure may render individuals more susceptible to atherosclerosis