Relation between serum uric acid and plasma adenosine levels in twin pregnancies

Objective: To examine the relationship between plasma adenosine and serum uric acid levels in women with singleton and twin pregnancies. Methods: We sampled maternal arterial blood and meat sured serum uric acid and plasma adenosine levels in 22 singleton pregnancies and nine twin pregnancies at 33 to 38 weeks' gestation. Results: The average plasma adenosine levels were 0.31 +/- 0.12 mu mol/L in the singleton pregnancy group and 0.45 +/- 0.09 mu mol/L in the twin pregnancy group (P < .001). The mean serum uric acid level in women with twin pregnancy was 5.7 +/- 0.44 mg/dL which was higher than that in the singleton pregnant women (4.4 +/- 0.69 mg/dL, P < .001). Positive correlations were found between serum uric acid and plasma adenosine levels in both the singleton (r(2) = 0.54, P < .001) and the twin pregnancy groups (r(2) = 0.65, P = .009). Moreover, there was also a significant correlation between serum uric acid and plasma adenosine levels overall (r(2) = 0.66, P < .001). Conclusion: Our results suggest that higher adenosine levels are a contributing source of hyperuricemia in twin pregnancies. (Obstet Gynecol 2000;96:507-10. (C) 2000 by The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.).