Low vitamin B(6) plasma levels, a risk factor for thrombosis, in inflammatory bowel disease: role of inflammation and correlation with acute phase reactants.
OBJECTIVE
Individuals with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are at increased risk for thrombosis and vitamin deficiencies. Low plasma levels of vitamin B(6) are an independent risk factor for thrombosis and may cause hyperhomocysteinemia, another recognized risk factor for thrombosis. The aim of this study was to evaluate vitamin B(6) plasma levels in IBD patients.


METHODS
We studied 61 IBD patients: 32 with Crohn's disease and 29 with ulcerative colitis. For each patient, three sex- and age-matched healthy control subjects were studied.


RESULTS
Median vitamin B(6) levels were significantly lower in IBD patients (22.0 pmol/L, range 3.6-231.0) than in controls (31.1 pmol/L, 3.7-363.4; p < 0.01). In all, 13.1% IBD patients and 5.5% controls had plasma vitamin B(6) levels lower than the 5th percentile of distribution in normal controls (p < 0.05). Low vitamin B(6) levels were significantly more frequent in patients with active disease than in patients with quiescent disease (seven of 26, 26.9%, vs one of 35, 2.9%; p < 0.001). Moreover, patients with active disease had significantly lower median vitamin B(6) levels (13.4 pmol/L, range 3.6-124.0) than patients in a quiescent phase (27.0 pmol/L, 7.8-231.0; p < 0.001). Low vitamin B(6) levels were significantly correlated with serum concentrations of C-reactive protein (r = -0.36, 95% CI = -0.59 to -0.09, p < 0.01) and alpha(1)-acid-glycoprotein (r = -0.37, 95% CI = -0.59 to -0.10, p < 0.01). Hyperhomocysteinemia was more frequent in patients with low vitamin B(6) levels (three of eight, 37.5%) than in patients with normal levels (nine of 53, 17.0%; p = 0.18). There was no statistically significant correlation between vitamin B(6) and homocysteine plasma levels (r = -0.13, 95% CI = -0.37 to +0.14, p = 0.33).


CONCLUSIONS
Low vitamin B(6) plasma levels, an independent risk factor for thrombosis, are frequent in patients with IBD, especially those with active disease.
Saibeni
Simone
S
Gastroenterology and Gastrointestinal Endoscopy Service, Bianchi Bonomi Haemophilia and Thrombosis Center, IRCCS Maggiore Hospital and University of Milan, Milan, Italy.
Cattaneo
Marco
M
Vecchi
Maurizio
M
Zighetti
Maddalena Loredana
ML
Lecchi
Anna
A
Lombardi
Rossana
R
Meucci
Gianmichele
G
Spina
Luisa
L
de Franchis
Roberto
R
D000209:Acute-Phase Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D000328:Adult; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000150:complications*; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000209:etiology*; D025101:Vitamin B 6 / Q000097:blood*
D000209:Acute-Phase Proteins; D025101:Vitamin B 6