Source
Effective Care Research Unit, East London Hospital Complex/University of the Witwatersrand/University of Fort Hare, East London, South Africa. gjh@global.co.za
Abstract
OBJECTIVE:
To test the hypothesis that calcium supplementation inhibits the underlying pathological processes in women with preeclampsia.
METHODS:
Seven hundred and eight nulliparous women were enrolled in a WHO randomized double-blind trial, who received 1.5 g of calcium or placebo from 20 weeks of pregnancy or earlier. Platelet count, serum urate, and urinary protein/creatinine ratio were measured at or near 35 gestational weeks.
RESULTS:
No difference was detected in rates of abnormal platelet count (relative risk [RR] 1.18; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.63 to 2.18), serum urate level (1.0; 0.64 to 1.57) or urine protein/creatinine ratio (1.01; 0.76 to 1.34). This was consistent with the main trial finding of no difference in the incidence of 'dipstick' proteinuria between women receiving calcium and those receiving placebo (8312 women; RR, 1.01; 95% CI, 0.88 to 1.15).
CONCLUSIONS:
An effect of calcium supplementation in the second half of pregnancy on the rate of abnormal laboratory measures associated with preeclampsia was not demonstrated.