Thrombophilias and pregnancy complications: a case-control study.

Inherited thrombophilia is believed to be a multiple gene disease with more than one defect. We wanted to determine the association between single thrombophilic patterns and a variety of pregnancy diseases. 301 pregnant women were recruited for the present case-control study and were divided into two groups: A group (176 controls) and B group (125 cases).

Homocysteinemia is inversely correlated with platelet count and directly correlated with sE- and sP-selectin levels in females homozygous for C677T methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase.

Plasma homocysteine levels depend in part on the molecular nature of the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) and on blood folate intake. Little has been reported on platelet counts in the presence of hyperhomocysteinemia and MTHFR polymorphisms, with the exception of delayed platelet recovery in homozygous MTHFR C677T subjects after treatment with methotrexate for ovarian cancer. The aim of this investigation was to evaluate the possibility of a link between the platelet count and plasma homocysteine levels in different MTHFR variants in 165 female patients.