Propionylcarnitine and methionine concentrations in newborns with hypospadias

  • Cent European J Urol. 2013;66(3):377-80. doi: 10.5173/ceju.2013.03.art36.
Andrzej Kowal  1 ,  Dariusz Mydlak  1 ,  Mariusz Ołtarzewski  2 ,  Anna Bauer  3 ,  Ewa Sawicka  1 ,  Kamil K Hozyasz  3
Affiliations
  • 1. Department of Pediatric Surgery.
  • 2. Neonatal Screening Laboratory.
  • 3. Department of Pediatrics, Institute of Mother and Child, Warsaw, Poland.
PMID: 24707392 DOI: 10.5173/ceju.2013.03.art36
Abstract

Introduction: Of interest is if factors like maternal diet can influence the risk of hypospadias-affected pregnancy. Increased propionylcarnitine (C3) is regarded as a biomarker of vitamin B12 deficiency. The retrospective study was undertaken to determine whether increased propionylcarnitine and low methionine in newborns are associated with hypospadias.

Material and methods: 41 newborns with hypospadias and 90 control newborns without congenital anomalies were investigated. Whole blood propionylcarnitine and methionine concentrations were measured using tandem mass spectrometry.

Results: The mean concentration of propionylcarnitine was higher in newborns with hypospadias compared with newborns without congenital anomalies (p = 0.026). The mean methionine level in cases was insignificantly lower than in controls.

Conclusion: There appears to be an association between decreased vitamin B12, as indexed by an increase of propionylcarnitine, and hypospadias in the investigated group of patients.

Keywords
MS/MS; hypospadias; methionine; propionylcarnitine; vitamin B12.
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