Effects of High-Dose Vitamin D Supplementation on Metabolic Status and Pregnancy Outcomes in Pregnant Women at Risk for Pre-Eclampsia
Authors: Z Asemi
E Beihaghi
A A Mohammadi
M Karamali
Journal: Hormone and Metabolic Research (2015)
Discipline: BIOLOGY & BIOCHEMISTRY
Keywords: high-dose vitamin D supplementation; metabolic profiles; pregnancy outcomes; pre-eclampsia; randomized clinical trial
Affiliations: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, School of Medicine, Arak University of Medical Sciences, Arak, I. R. Iran, Department of Nutrition, School of Public Health, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, I. R. Iran, Research Center for Biochemistry and Nutrition in Metabolic Diseases, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, I. R. Iran

Abstract:  This study was designed to assess the beneficial effects of high-dose (cholecalciferol) vitamin D supplementation on metabolic profiles and pregnancy outcomes among pregnant women at risk for pre-eclampsia. This randomized double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial was performed among 60 pregnant women at risk for pre-eclampsia according to abnormal uterine artery Doppler waveform. Subjects were randomly divided into 2 groups to receive 50 000 IU vitamin D supplements (n=30) or receive placebo (n=30) every 2 weeks from 20 to 32 weeks of gestation. Fasting blood samples were taken at baseline study and 12 weeks after the intervention to quantify relevant variables. Newborn's anthropometric measurements were determined. Pregnant women who received cholecalciferol supplements had significantly increased serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations (+17.92±2.28 vs. +0.27±3.19 ng/ml, p&lt;0.001) compared with the placebo. The administration of cholecalciferol supplements, compared with the placebo, resulted in significant differences in serum insulin concentrations (+1.08±6.80 vs. +9.57±10.32 μIU/ml, p&lt;0.001), homeostasis model of assessment-insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) (+0.19±1.47 vs. +2.10±2.67, p&lt;0.001), homeostatic model assessment-beta cell function (HOMA-B) (+5.82±29.58 vs. +39.81±38.00, p&lt;0.001) and quantitative insulin sensitivity check index (QUICKI) score (-0.009±0.03 vs. -0.04±0.03, p=0.004). Furthermore, cholecalciferol-supplemented pregnant women had increased HDL-cholesterol concentrations (+2.67 ± 8.83 vs. -3.23±7.76 mg/dl, p=0.008) compared with the placebo. Finally, cholecalciferol supplementation led to a significant rise in plasma total antioxidant capacity (TAC) concentrations (+79.00±136.69 vs. -66.91±176.02 mmol/l, p=0.001) compared with the placebo. Totally, the administration of cholecalciferol supplements among pregnant women at risk for pre-eclampsia for 12 weeks had favorable effects on insulin metabolism parameters, serum HDL-cholesterol, and plasma TAC concentrations. 

Retracted: No

PubPeer comments:
 There are many concerns about the integrity of 172 publications by this research group, including this one. Some of the concerns are published 1. Anaesthesia 2020;75:1683u201392, see Supplementary data. This paper is A37 2. Account Res 2020;28:149-61. 3. J Clin Epidemiol 2021;131:22-29. Journals and publishers were notified of these concerns in July 2019. 23 publications have an expression of concern. To our knowledge there has been no public response about any of the concerns. We think these publications are unreliable ,