Maternal Serum Vitamin E Levels and its Association with Cord Blood Telomere Length and Mitochondrial DNA Copy Number in Preterm Premature Rupture of Membranes.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Oxidative stress is one of the pathophysiological factors of pPROM and Vit. E being antioxidant may have preventive role. Study was conducted to estimate maternal serum vitamin E levels and cord blood oxidative stress markers in pPROM cases.

METHODS: This was a case-control study including 40 pPROM cases and 40 controls. Maternal serum vitamin E levels were measured at recruitment. Cord blood was collected at delivery for estimation of telomere length and mtDNA copy number as oxidative stress markers. Levels were compared using student's t test or Mann Whitney test. For correlation Pearson coefficient was used.

RESULTS: Maternal serum vitamin E levels were normal in pPROM cases. Cord blood telomere length was more in pPROM than controls (428.99 ± 290.65 vs 322.35 ± 180.33) ( p value 0.05). Cord blood mtDNA copy number was more in pPROM than controls (516.46 ± 443.55 vs 384.77 ± 328.27) ( p value 0.13) though it was not significant. mtDNA copy number had negative correlation with Vit. E levels but it was statistically not significant ( p value 0.49). There was no association of vitamin E levels with telomere length ( p value 0.95).

INTERPRETATION AND CONCLUSION: pPROM was not associated with vitamin E deficiency. There was insignificant oxidative stress in cord blood as measured by mtDNA copy number but cord blood telomere length measurement did not detect any oxidative stress in pPPROM cases.