Association study of vascular endothelial growth factor polymorphisms with the risk of recurrent spontaneous abortion

Objective

To investigate the association of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) polymorphisms (-2578C>A, -1154G>A, -634G>C, 936C>T) with idiopathic recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA) in Koreans.

Design

Prospective case-control study.

Setting

University-based hospital.

Patient(s)

Two hundred and fifteen patients with a history of two or more unexplained consecutive pregnancy losses and 113 healthy controls with at least one live birth and no history of pregnancy loss.

Intervention(s)

None.

Main Outcome Measure(s)

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analyses were performed for the -2578C>A and 936C>T genotypes. Real-time PCR was also used to analyze the -1154G>A and -634G>C genotypes.

Result(s)

The GA (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 2.774; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.512–5.092) genotype of the VEGF -1154G>A polymorphism was significantly different between women with idiopathic RSA and controls. The difference in overall (GA + AA) frequency was also marginally significant between the controls and patients with idiopathic RSA (AOR, 2.006; 95% CI, 1.158–3.473). The differences in frequencies of the A-A-G-T and C-A-G-T haplotypes of the VEGF polymorphisms (-2578C>A, -1154G>A, -634G>C, 936C>T) were marginally significant between the patient and control groups.

Conclusion(s)

This study suggests that VEGF polymorphisms and haplotypes are a genetic determinant for the risk of idiopathic RSA in Korean women.

Key Words: haplotype, polymorphism, recurrent spontaneous abortion, RSA, vascular endothelial growth factor, VEGF