Brief Reports
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2005. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Oct 14, 2005; 11(38): 6038-6042
Published online Oct 14, 2005. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v11.i38.6038
Hyperhomocysteinemia in ulcerative colitis is related to folate levels
Petros Zezos, Georgia Papaioannou, Nikolaos Nikolaidis, Themistoclis Vasiliadis, Olga Giouleme, Nikolaos Evgenidis
Petros Zezos, Nikolaos Nikolaidis, Themistoclis Vasiliadis, Olga Giouleme, Nikolaos Evgenidis, Division of Gastroenterology, 2nd Propaedeutic Department of Internal Medicine, Hippokration General Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 49 Konstantinoupoleos Str., Thessaloniki 54642, Greece
Georgia Papaioannou, Department of Haematology, Papageorgiou General Hospital of Thessaloniki, Ring Road Nea Efkarpia, Thessaloniki 56403, Greece
Author contributions: All authors contributed equally to the work.
Correspondence to: Associate Professor Nikolaos Evgenidis, Division of Gastroenterology, 2nd Propaedeutic Department of Internal Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Hippokration General Hospital, 49 Konstantinoupoleos Str., Thessaloniki 54642, Greece.? zezosp@hol.gr
Telephone: +30-2310-892073 Fax: +30-2310-848354
Received: December 17, 2004
Revised: March 18, 2005
Accepted: March 21, 2005
Published online: October 14, 2005
Abstract

AIM: To study the prevalence and clinical significance of hyperhomocysteinemia (hHcys), an independent factor for arterial and venous thrombosis, in a group of patients with ulcerative colitis (UC).

METHODS: Fasting homocysteine (Hcys), folate, and vitamin B12 serum levels were measured in 40 UC patients and 50 healthy controls. Clinical data regarding UC were gathered.

RESULTS: Median serum Hcys levels in UC patients were similar to those in controls (12.26 µmol/L vs 12.32 µmol/L), but the prevalence of hHcys was higher in UC patients than in controls (30% vs 10%, P = 0.028). UC significantly increased the risk of hHcys (adjusted odds ratio: 4.125; 95%CI: 1.26-13.44). Multivariate regression analysis showed that male sex, folate and vitamin B12 deficiency or lower serum values were significant independent predictors of higher Hcys levels in UC patients (r2 = 0.4; P<0.001).

CONCLUSION: hHcys is common in UC patients and it is related to folate and vitamin B12 deficiency or lower serum values. It would be reasonable for patients with UC to receive folate and vitamin B complex supplements as a prophylactic measure.

Keywords: Folate; Homocysteine; Hyperhomocysteinemia; Thrombosis; Ulcerative colitis; Vitamin B12