Folate status and homocysteine level in Italian patients aged under 60 on oral anticoagulant therapy.
BACKGROUND
Folate deficiency occurs frequently and the related hyper-homocysteinaemia is considered a risk factor for thrombosis. We investigated folate status and homocysteine (Hcy) concentration in patients under 60 years on oral anticoagulant therapy (OAT) for previous venous or arterial thrombosis and in healthy blood donors.


METHODS
Thirty-nine patients (mean age 35.2 years) on OAT for longer than 6 months and forty 44 healthy blood donors (mean age 36.0 years) were evaluated. Diet, serum folate (SF), red blood cell folate (RCF), homocysteinaemia, vitamin B12 levels and the mutation C677T of methylenetetrahydrofolate-reductase (MTHFR) gene were determined.


RESULTS
The mean SF and Hcy concentrations were significantly higher in patients compared with blood donors (SF = 17.7 versus 10.5 nmol/L, P < 0.0001; Hcy = 11.7 versus 8.9 micromol/L, P = 0.009). Twelve out of 39 patients and 7 out of 44 blood donors were homozygous for the mutation C677T of MTHFR gene. Among the remaining subjects, non-homozygous for the mutation, the patients (27) had mean SF and Hcy levels significantly higher than the (37) blood donors (SF = 18.1 versus 10.8 nmol/L, P < 0.0001; Hcy = 10.3 versus 7.9 micromol/L P < 0.0006).


CONCLUSIONS
Italian patients aged under 60 years on OAT and non-homozygous for the mutation C677T of MTHFR gene, had SF and Hcy concentrations significantly higher than the control group.
Cafolla
Arturo
A
Haematology Department, Biotecnologie Cellulari ed Ematologia, University La Sapienza, Rome, Italy. cafolla@bce.med.uniroma1.it
Dragoni
Francesco
F
Puopolo
Maria
M
Ruzzi
Laura
L
Chiarotti
Flavia
F
Silvestri
Lorena
L
Bongarzoni
Velia
V
Simioni
Paolo
P
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004032:Diet; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000737:chemistry*; D005260:Female; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D019934:International Normalized Ratio; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D042965:Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase (NADPH2); D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D000587:Oxidoreductases Acting on CH-NH Group Donors / Q000235:genetics*; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy
D000925:Anticoagulants; D006710:Homocysteine; D005492:Folic Acid; D000587:Oxidoreductases Acting on CH-NH Group Donors; D042965:Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase (NADPH2)