Effect of changes in renal circulation on serum uric acid levels in women with twin pregnancy.

OBJECTIVE

We examined the relationship between serum uric acid levels and changes in renal circulation in women with twin pregnancy compared with those in women with singleton pregnancy.

METHODS

The Doppler waveforms of the bilateral maternal main renal arteries were obtained from 15 women at 37-38 weeks of nonpreeclamptic twin pregnancy and 16 healthy women at the same gestational age of singleton pregnancy. The resistance index (RI), pulsatility index (PI), and acceleration time were determined.

RESULTS

The mean serum uric acid level in the twin pregnancy group was significantly higher than that in the singleton pregnancy group (5.0 ± 0.9 vs. 3.7 ± 0.6 mg/dl, P < 0.01). Although there were no significant differences in the RI or PI levels between the singleton and twin pregnancy groups, the acceleration time in the twin pregnancy group was significantly prolonged compared with that in the singleton pregnancy group (82.2 ± 29 vs. 59.9 ± 17 ms, P = 0.01). There was a significant correlation between serum uric acid levels and acceleration times (r(2) = 0.55, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSION

The changes in renal circulation may be one of the possible mechanisms leading to hyperuricemia in women with twin pregnancies.