title: Homocysteine and B-group vitamins in renal transplant patients.
abstract: Increased plasma homocysteine is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease. We have investigated homocysteine and B-group vitamin levels in renal transplant patients. Fasting blood was collected from 55 renal transplant recipients with good renal function and 32 age/sex matched control subjects. Total homocysteine was increased in transplant recipients in comparison to controls (10.9+/-1.5 vs. 6.7+/-1.3 micromol/l, P < 0.001). There was no difference in homocysteine between patients receiving cyclosporin (n = 39, homocysteine 11.0+/-1.5 micromol/l) and patients receiving prednisolone + azathioprine (n = 16, 10.8+/-1.6 micromol/l, mean+/-S.D.), although there was a significant correlation between homocysteine and serum cyclosporin concentration in the sub-group of patients receiving that immunosuppressive regimen (r = 0.42, P < 0.05). Levels of B-group vitamins were similar in patients and controls. Plasma homocysteine is increased in renal transplant recipients even in the presence of minor degrees of renal impairment and normal levels of B-group vitamins.
authors.affiliation: School of Clinical Medicine, The Queen's University of Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK.
authors.forename: J V
authors.initials: JV
authors.lastname: Woodside
authors.forename: D G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Fogarty
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Lightbody
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Loughrey
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Yarnell
authors.forename: A P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Maxwell
authors.forename: I S
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Young
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001379:Azathioprine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000517:prevention & control; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016030:Kidney Transplantation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008956:Models, Chemical; D011239:Prednisolone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014803:Vitamin B Complex / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D006710:Homocysteine; D014803:Vitamin B Complex; D016572:Cyclosporine; D011239:Prednisolone; D001379:Azathioprine