title: Folate status and homocysteine level in Italian patients aged under 60 on oral anticoagulant therapy.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Haematology Department, Biotecnologie Cellulari ed Ematologia, University La Sapienza, Rome, Italy. cafolla@bce.med.uniroma1.it
authors.forename: Arturo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cafolla
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Dragoni
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Puopolo
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ruzzi
authors.forename: Flavia
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Chiarotti
authors.forename: Lorena
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Silvestri
authors.forename: Velia
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Bongarzoni
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Simioni
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D000925:Anticoagulants; D006710:Homocysteine; D005492:Folic Acid; D000587:Oxidoreductases Acting on CH-NH Group Donors; D042965:Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase (NADPH2)