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Vitamin D deficiency and pre-eclampsia in Colombia: PREVitD study
Norma C Serrano1, Elizabeth Guío2, Doris C Quintero-Lesmes1
1Fundación Cardiovascular de Colombia FCV, Colombia; Fundación Universitaria FCV, Colombia.
Insights
Low maternal vitamin D levels are associated with a higher risk of pre-eclampsia. This study found vitamin D deficiency in 52% of pre-eclampsia cases, suggesting a link between low vitamin D and increased pre-eclampsia probability.
Area of Science:
- Obstetrics and Gynecology
- Endocrinology
- Nutritional Science
Background:
- Pre-eclampsia is a significant cause of maternal mortality, particularly in low-income settings.
- Vitamin D plays a crucial role in various physiological processes, including cardiovascular health.
- The potential link between vitamin D status and pre-eclampsia requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between maternal vitamin D levels and the occurrence of pre-eclampsia.
- To determine if vitamin D deficiency is a risk factor for developing pre-eclampsia during pregnancy.
Main Methods:
- A multicenter case-control study involving 1013 women with pre-eclampsia and 1015 controls.
- Recruitment from the Genetics and Pre-eclampsia (GenPE) Colombian registry across eight cities.
- Quantification of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) levels using liquid-chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.
Main Results:
- Vitamin D deficiency (25(OH)D < 30 ng/mL) was observed in 52% of women with pre-eclampsia.
- Mean 25(OH)D concentrations were significantly lower in the pre-eclampsia group (29.99 ng/mL) compared to controls (33.7 ng/mL).
- Maternal vitamin D deficiency was associated with a more than twofold increased probability of pre-eclampsia (OR 2.18; 95% CI, 1.80-2.64) after adjusting for covariates.
Conclusions:
- Low maternal 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations appear to be associated with an increased risk of pre-eclampsia.
- While the association is significant, a definitive causal relationship requires further confirmation.
- Future powered clinical trials are necessary to establish causality between vitamin D levels and pre-eclampsia risk.
Purpose:
Pre-eclampsia is a multisystem disorder characterized by new-onset hypertension and proteinuria during pregnancy. Pre-eclampsia remains a major cause of maternal death in low-income countries. Vitamin D has a very diverse biological role in cardiovascular diseases. This study will evaluate the association of vitamin D levels and relevance to pre-eclampsia.
Methods:
We conducted a case-control study of women recruited from the GenPE (Genetics and Pre-eclampsia) Colombian registry. This is a multicenter case-control study conducted in eight Colombian cities. 25-Hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentration was measured using liquid-chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry from 1013 women with pre-eclampsia and 1015 mothers without pre-eclampsia (controls).
Results:
Fifty-two percent of women with pre-eclampsia were vitamin D deficient. The 25(OH)D concentrations were significantly lower in the pre-eclampsia (mean 29.99 ng/mL; 95% CI: 29.40-30.58 ng/mL) group compared to controls (mean 33.7 ng/mL; 95% CI: 33.20-34.30 ng/mL). In the unadjusted model, maternal vitamin D deficiency, defined by maternal 25(OH)D concentration <30 ng/mL, was associated with an increased probability of suffering from pre-eclampsia (OR 2.10; 95% CI, 1.75-2.51). After adjusting for covariates, a similarly increased probability of having pre-eclampsia was observed (OR 2.18; 95% CI, 1.80-2.64) among women with vitamin D deficiency, relative to controls.
Conclusion:
Although the results suggest that low maternal concentrations of 25(OH)D increase pre-eclampsia risk, this evidence may not be indicative of a causal association. Future studies are needed to confirm a definite causal relationship between concentrations of vitamin D and the risk of pre-eclampsia, by means of powered clinical trials.
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