title: Homocysteine levels in polycythaemia vera and essential thrombocythaemia.
abstract: Patients with polycythaemia vera (PV) or essential thrombocythaemia (ET) have an increased risk of arterial and venous thromboembolic complications. Since hyperhomocysteinaemia (HHC) is a risk factor for vascular disease, we investigated the frequency of HHC in these disorders and analysed a possible association of elevated plasma homocysteine levels with vascular complications. In the cohort of 134 patients from Vienna (69 female, 65 male, median age 65.5 years, range 21-91 years) with PV (n = 74) or ET (n = 60), plasma homocysteine levels were significantly higher compared to 134 healthy controls. Median homocysteine level was 12.3 micromol/l (range 3.5-48.4 micromol/l) in patients with PV or ET and 8.9 micromol/l (range 4.8-30.5 micromol/l) in normal controls (P < 0. 0001). In addition to the 134 patients from Vienna, 48 patients (28 female, 20 male; median age 66.5 years, range 24-82) from Vicenza with PV (n = 25) or ET (n = 23) were included to evaluate the impact of HHC on the risk of thrombosis. Of 59 patients with HHC (44 from Vienna and 15 from Vicenza) 18 (31%) had a history of arterial and 10 (17%) of venous thrombosis. Of 123 patients with normal homocysteine levels, 30 (24%) had arterial and 16 (13%) had venous thromboses. The difference between the two groups was statistically not significant. Even though mild to moderate HHC occurred in a larger number of patients with PV or ET and thrombosis, it can presently not be regarded as an additional risk factor for thrombosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine I, Division of Haematology and Blood Coagulation, Währinger Gürtel 18-20m A-1090 Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gisslinger
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rodeghiero
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ruggeri
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Heis-Vahidi Fard
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mannhalter
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Papagiannopoulos
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rintelen
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Lalouschek
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Knöbl
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lechner
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Pabinger
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011087:Polycythemia Vera / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics; D013920:Thrombocythemia, Essential / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D006710:Homocysteine