L-Citrulline Level in Pregnant Adolescent With Severe Preeclampsia Compared to Without Preeclampsia: A Cross-sectional Study

Objectives: Numerous studies have been performed on the effect of L-arginine supplementation on improving maternal outcomes, but studies on the impact of L-citrulline in pregnancy are limited. This study aimed to evaluate the L-citrulline level in pregnant adolescents with severe preeclampsia compared to those without preeclampsia. Materials and Methods: This is a cross-sectional study among 60 adolescent pregnant women giving birth in the Emergency Room and Delivery Room in Hasan Sadikin Hospital, Bandung, Indonesia from May to October 2020. The L-citrulline levels were examined in women with severe preeclampsia (n = 30) and those without preeclampsia (n = 30). Results: The L-citrulline level in adolescent pregnancies with severe preeclampsia was lower than those without preeclampsia (79.7±40.4, 122.3±61.9 pg/mL, respectively and P=0.003). But no correlations were observed between L-citrulline levels with systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and mean arterial pressure (MAP). Conclusions: There was a difference in serum L-citrulline level of adolescent pregnancies with severe preeclampsia and without pre-eclampsia.