Chorangiosis: The potential role of smoking and air pollution

Abstract

Chorangiosis is considered to be strongly associated with various fetal, maternal, and placental disorders, including pre-eclampsia, diabetes, hypertension, and major congenital anomalies, and has been found to correlate with increased fetal morbidity and mortality. In this study, we investigated the pathologic effects of maternal smoking and air pollution on the pathogenesis of chorangiosis. We investigated 92 placentas macroscopically and microscopically over a 3-month period (March 2006–May 2006) at Denizli State Hospital to identify the frequency of chorangiosis and the potential role of maternal smoking and air pollution. Placental changes were examined by light microscopy after hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining and immunohistochemical evaluation of CD 34 and CD 68; muscle-specific actin was used to confirm the diagnosis. Among the 92 mothers included in the study, 33 were smokers (group I), 31 were thought to have been exposed to air pollution (group II), and 28 were living in rural areas free of air pollution and maternal smoking (group III). Chorangiosis was found in 14% (13/92) of all placentas: 7 (53.8%) cases were assigned to group I, 5 (38.5%) to group II, and 1 (7.7%) to group III. Vascular changes were found mainly in the smoking and air pollution groups. There appeared to be no correlation of these vascular changes with placental weight, parity, gestational age, major congenital anomalies, and maternal factors, including diabetes and pre-eclampsia. We presume that smoking and air pollution may contribute to the development of chorangiosis. We suggest that chorangiosis may be an adaptive response to maternal hypoxia, and studies addressing the role of smoking and air pollution in chorangiosis may provide new insights into the pathogenesis of this condition.