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Effects of Iron Supplements on Heme Scavengers in Pregnancy
- Source :
- The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
- Publication Year :
- 2020
-
Abstract
- In malaria endemic countries, anemia in pregnant women occurs as a result of erythrocyte destruction by Plasmodium infections and other causes including malnutrition. Iron supplementation is recommended as treatment of iron-deficiency anemia. Erythrocyte destruction results in increased release of cytotoxic free heme that is scavenged by haptoglobin (Hp), hemopexin (Hx) and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1). Paradoxically, iron supplementation in pregnant women has been reported to enhance parasitemia and increase levels of free heme. The relationship between free heme, heme scavengers, and birth outcomes has not been investigated, especially in women who are on iron supplementation. We hypothesized that parasite-infected pregnant women on routine iron supplementation have elevated heme and altered expression of heme scavengers. A cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the association between plasma levels of free heme, HO-1, Hp, Hx, and malaria status in pregnant women who received routine iron supplementation and their birth outcomes. Heme was quantified by colorimetric assay and scavenger protein concentration by ELISA. We demonstrated that iron-supplemented women with asymptomatic parasitemia had increased free heme (mean 75.6 µM; interquartile range [IQR] 38.8–96.5) compared with nonmalaria iron-supplemented women (mean 34.9 µM; IQR 17.4–43.8, P < 0.0001). Women with preterm delivery had lower levels of Hx (mean 656.0 µg/mL; IQR 410.9–861.3) compared with women with full-term delivery (mean: 860.9 µg/mL; IQR 715.2–1055.8, P = 0.0388). Our results indicate that iron supplementation without assessment of circulating levels of free heme and heme scavengers may increase the risk for adverse pregnancy outcomes.
- Subjects :
- Adult
medicine.medical_specialty
Adolescent
Anemia
Iron
Parasitemia
Heme
Ghana
Article
chemistry.chemical_compound
Young Adult
Interquartile range
Pregnancy
Virology
Internal medicine
Medicine
Humans
biology
Anemia, Iron-Deficiency
business.industry
Haptoglobin
Hemopexin
Free Radical Scavengers
medicine.disease
Malaria
Pregnancy Complications
Malnutrition
Infectious Diseases
Endocrinology
Cross-Sectional Studies
chemistry
Dietary Supplements
biology.protein
Parasitology
Female
business
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 14761645
- Volume :
- 105
- Issue :
- 5
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....535cbb3280eb4960b8fc7ceb1e4d64b3