Treatment of hyperhomocysteinemia with folic acid reduces oxidative stress in renal transplant recipients.
BACKGROUND
We conducted a prospective, uncontrolled, open study to assess the relationship between homocysteine (tHcy) and oxidative stress in chronic, stable, renal transplant recipients (RTR).


METHODS
Included in the study were 17 chronic, stable RTR. All the patients received folic acid (5 mg/day). tHcy and total antioxidant capacity (TAOC) were measured before and at the end of the study period.


RESULTS
Mean tHcy concentration was 26+/-10 micromol/L. tHcy significantly decreased during the study period (26+/-10 vs. 18+/-7 micromol/L; P<0.001). There was a significant inverse relationship between TAOC and tHcy (r= -0.33; P=0.01). TAOC significantly increased during the study period (1.49+/-0.23-1.78+/-0.6; P<0.001). There was an inverse relationship between the variation in tHcy and the variation in TAOC (r= -0.44; P=0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
Our results demonstrate that hyperhomocysteinemia contributed to increased oxidative stress in RTR. tHcy-lowering treatment with folic acid may lower oxidative stress.
Abdelfatah
Aboubakr
A
Department of Nephrology and Renal Transplantation, University Hospital, Besançon, France.
Ducloux
Didier
D
Toubin
Gérard
G
Motte
Gérard
G
Alber
Daniel
D
Chalopin
Jean-Marc
JM
D000328:Adult; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005215:Fasting; D005260:Female; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D020138:Hyperhomocysteinemia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D013997:Time Factors
D000975:Antioxidants; D006710:Homocysteine; D005492:Folic Acid