Insight on the relation between maternal derangement of homocysteine metabolism and their offsprings with contruncal heart defects

ABSTRACT

This study was performed to evaluate the effect of maternal derangement of homocysteine [Hcys] metabolism and their children with contruncal heart diseases. The fasting plasma levels of Hcys, folic acid and vitamin B12 were measured by radioassay techinque. The study consisted of 22 mothers of 22 off springs having contruncal heart defects [Pre-treatment group] and 22 healthy mothers having healthy offsprings as administrated a commercially avaliable multivitamin supplementation, and plasma Hcys level, in pre-treatment group. The study revealed a mean fasting plasma Hcys level, in pre-treatment group, of 13.17 +/- 2.63 micro mol/l, and 11 +/- 1.81micro mol/l in post-treatment group and 9.71 +/- 1.63 micro mol/l in control group, there was a statistically significant difference between all studied groups. Also, there was a positive significant correlation between maternal age and Hcys plasma level, and a negative significant correlation between fasting plasma levels of Hcys, folate, and vitamin B12. In conclusion, this study showed a significant increase of fasting plasma Hcys level in mothers having offersprings with contruncal heart defects and that multivitamin supplementation would decrease this level