Antenatal Allopurinol in Intrauterine Growth Restriction
Status:
Unknown status
Trial end date:
2013-07-01
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
Growth retardation in utero may be caused by uteroplacental vascular insufficiency. When
Doppler ultrasound studies of the umbilical artery are abnormal pathological intrauterine
growth restriction (IUGR) can be diagnosed. IUGR fetuses have a higher mortality and
morbidity, both perinatally and on the longer term. This is probably due to chronic
malnourishment and hypoxia due to placental insufficiency. This placental dysfunction causes
generation of harmful free oxygen radicals in the fetus. The IUGR fetus has a diminished
antioxidative capacity which means these free radicals cannot be buffered sufficiently. This
leads to fetal oxidative stress.
Previous studies have shown that allopurinol can inhibit the cascades that lead to generation
of free radicals. High dosed allopurinol also scavenges radicals and binds free iron without
adverse effects on the fetus or mother.
As IUGR is associated with placental insufficiency and excessive production of free radicals
we hypothesize that antenatal allopurinol administration could lead to a decrease in
oxidative stress in the mother and fetus and subsequent improvement of the maternal and/or
neonatal outcome.