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 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) ( value 0.05). Cord blood mtDNA copy number was more in pPROM than controls (516.46 ± 443.55 vs 384.77 ± 328.27) ( value 0.13) though it was not significant. mtDNA copy number had negative correlation with Vit. E levels but it was statistically not significant ( value 0.49). There was no association of vitamin E levels with telomere length ( 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.